Graceland vigil marks Elvis’ death anniversary

A few thousand Elvis Presley fans filed silently by his grave at a vigil at Graceland, marking a total of 33 years of the death of 'The King".Elvis" admirers from all around the world descended on the star"s former home Sunday night to attend an annual candlelight vigil and procession that rolled on to the Monday morning. Presley had an untimely demise at an age of 42 at his Graceland mansion on the 16th of August in the year 1977. From the next year onwards, memorials started off.

Popular Elvis ballads like "If I Can Dream" and "Fools Rush In" were played as participants gravely filed in through the Graceland gates. Both flowers and photos lined the entry to the site of the grave, which also happens to be the resting place of Vernon Presley, Presley"s father. This is also the place where the King"s mother Gladys, and grandmother Minnie Mae, were buried. There were a few fans who also wiped tears, as they walked past the grave.

It seemed that the day"s high amount of heat and humidity didn"t matter to the fans at all. Thomas Hollis, 52, an Elvis fan who attended the vigil revealed that he and his wife have been coming here for several years. This year was Thomas"s sixth Elvis vigil and the first ever without his wife, who passed away in May.