RIP: David Wilkerson

All those tragic tornado casualties, and now more sad news.

Rev. David Wilkerson, author of the bestselling The Cross and the Switchblade and pastor of the Times Square Church, died yesterday in a traffic accident in Texas. He was 79.

Rev. Wilkerson, an evangelical, ministered to drug addicts and gangbangers in New York City before it was trendy to do so. He profoundly affected the life of Nicky Cruz, a leader of the notorious Mau Maus gang. Nicky wrote about his powerful conversion in Run Baby Run which also became a bestseller.

Update: An interview with Don Wilkerson, David's brother.