Elvis Aaron Presley, pictured, died at his home in Memphis on August 16, 1977 aged 42

 

The Wonder of You: Thousands of Elvis fans flock to his grave 40 years after the death of The King

  • Elvis died at his home in Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee on August 16, 1977
  • Fans will hold a candlelight vigil at the mansion ahead of this week's anniversary
  • Elvis was agend just 42 when he had a fatal heart attack at his mansion 
  • More than 600,000 people of year flock to Graceland on a rock pilgrimage 
Pilgrims come all day every day, filing past in silence, fighting back tears as they place mementos at Elvis Presley's gravesite, pausing to reflect, take pictures or say a prayer.
More than 600,000 fans visit each year, paying tribute to the icon of popular culture, the once rebellious sex symbol turned family entertainer of whom John Lennon said 'before Elvis there was nothing'.
Forty years after his tragic death aged 42, floral tributes from around the world still line the Meditation Garden, where the king of rock 'n' roll is buried at his Graceland home in Memphis.

Thousands of fans have been queuing up at Gracelands in advance of the 40th anniversary on Wednesday of The King of Rock and Roll's death aged just 42 on August 16, 1977
Thousands of fans have been queuing up at Gracelands in advance of the 40th anniversary on Wednesday of The King of Rock and Roll's death aged just 42 on August 16, 1977

Thousands of fans are expected to attend a candlelight vigil at Gracelands, pictured, on Tuesday night ahead of the anniversary of the singer's death on Wednesday 
Thousands of fans are expected to attend a candlelight vigil at Gracelands, pictured, on Tuesday night ahead of the anniversary of the singer's death on Wednesday 

Every day fans of the singer file past his grave in the Meditation Garden of his Memphis home
Every day fans of the singer file past his grave in the Meditation Garden of his Memphis home
The iconic singer was found dead at his home on August 16, 1977.  
On Tuesday thousands, if not tens of thousands, are expected to attend this year's candle-light vigil to mark the anniversary of Elvis' death.
Lisa Bseiso will be one of them. She had what she calls a 'very spiritual, deep encounter' with Presley's spirit when she first visited Graceland with her husband in August 2014.
'He was sitting in a chair,' remembers the 36-year-old daughter of a Palestinian father and Colombian mother, born and raised in Qatar.
'He had tears coming down his eyes and he said 'Don't forget me, spread my legacy in your part of the world,'' she recalls.

More than 600,000 people a year visit Gracelands which is in Memphis, Tennessee
More than 600,000 people a year visit Gracelands which is in Memphis, Tennessee

Elvis is buried in Gracelands beside his parents and grand parents in a memorial garden
Elvis is buried in Gracelands beside his parents and grand parents in a memorial garden

Fans have also been visiting the Sun Studio where Elvis made his first ever recordings 
Fans have also been visiting the Sun Studio where Elvis made his first ever recordings 
So she went home and set up The Official Elvis Presley Fan Club of Qatar, which she now plans to expand to Dubai, Bahrain and Kuwait.
'He's a gift from God to all of us,' she tells AFP at Graceland, where she is visiting with her Palestinian-Jordanian husband, Colombian mother and friends.
'God took him back home, but he's still here.'
A life-long fan, listening to his music helped her recover from a car accident in 1999 that left her in a coma for two weeks, she says.
The idea that Presley's spirit lives on is central to his fans of all ages, from all countries, who find his music soothing in times of trouble and are moved by his rags-to-riches story and legendary generosity.