Elvis Presley honored by thousands at Graceland vigil
| MEMPHIS, Tennessee
Elvis聽Presley聽fans from around the world made their annual pilgrimage to Graceland to pay their respects to the rock n' roll icon with a solemn candlelight vigil on the 36th anniversary of his death.
Thousands of聽Presley聽fans on Thursday walked slowly and silently through the Mediation Garden at Graceland,Presley's聽longtime Memphis home. The garden is the location of聽Presley's聽grave.
Each year, fans of聽Presley's聽music and movies come to Memphis for聽Elvis聽Week, the celebration of his life and career.聽Presley聽died on Aug. 16, 1977, of a heart attack after battling prescription drug abuse.
Police estimated 35,000 people would attend the vigil. Last year, an estimated 75,000 people attended.聽Elvis' ex-wife Priscilla聽Presley聽and his daughter Lisa Marie聽Presley聽spoke at last year's event, the first time they appeared together at the vigil since it began.
The vigil started as an informal gathering the year after his death.
It has become an international affair, with fans from Australia, Brazil, England, Japan and elsewhere.
Miguel Salinas Caceres, 53, came with other members of a fan club from Chile. Salinas Caceres recalled making scrapbooks of newspaper article clippings about聽Presley聽when he was a teen because he could not afford a record player. He said his family used to pay a neighbor who owned a television so that they could watch聽Presley聽movies.
"For a person who is an聽Elvis聽fan and has the chance to come to the place he lived, it's emotional for me," Salinas Caceres said.
