Crowd Estimated at 2,500 Packs Flynn Minnesota Funeral

ST. PAUL (AP) - Best-selling Minnesota author Vince Flynn is remembered as a man of faith who met his challenges head-on.

Some 2,500 mourners packed the Cathedral of St. Paul Monday for Flynn's funeral Mass in his hometown of St. Paul. The author of the Mitch Rapp counterterrorism thrillers died last week at 47 after battling prostate cancer.

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, former U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman and talk-show host Rush Limbaugh were among the mourners.

The Rev. Peter Laird celebrated the Mass, and was joined by Archbishop John Nienstedt. Laird says Flynn "had the gift of gab and a contagious, manly spirit."

Flynn has sold more than 15 million books in the U.S. alone. His 14th novel, "The Last Man," was published last year.