What were you doing Aug 16, 1977 when you found out that Elvis died??

[ehollier]

As we all know, Elvis passed away, August 16, 1977. Just as those pertintent moments in history (JFK assasination, 9/11), most people can remember exactly what they were doing when they found out that Elvis Presley died.

Please share with us what you were doing on August 16, 1977 when you first heard that Elvis Presley died.

[ehollier]

I recall that hot summer afternoon as if were yesterday. I was 9 years old and my Mom was in the dining room finishing up our school uniforms so that we could begin school the following week. My sister and I were in the living room watching television while Mom called us back and forth to the dining room so she could fit and pin our uniform skirts that she was sewing. Whatever afternoon program was on suddenly had one of those news bylines going across the bottom of the screen reporting that "Elvis Presley died at Baptist Hospital in his hometown of Memphis." I can remember seeing that still to this day. I ran into the dining room to tell my mom, who said that it must be a mistake because she'd heard over the previous years that he had been in and out of the hospital for various aliments. As we were discussing this, my aunt called to tell us that us that she, her sister and my grandmother were leaving that same day to go to Memphis because Elvis had passed away and they wanted to be there for the funeral (which, looking back, couldn't have been arranged at this early hour).

In any event, this was my first of few moments where I can recall what I was doing when something tragic occurred. The next wouldn't be until many, many years later (9/11).

[midnight]

I was camping with my parents and little brother on August 16, 1977. My mom called me in the camper and told me she had heard it on the radio. It was the first time I ever dealt with death. I was 11 years old and had loved him through out my childhood. I remember watching the hearse on the news and staying up all night with my mom listening to his songs. My parents had planned all summer for this camping trip and I ruined it because I wouldn`t go out and play , I just cried and cried. My mom was getting upset with me and my dad said," Give her a week or so and she will forget all about it and we will finally have this Elvis business put to rest"
Well guess what....... they were wrong..... 31 years later and I am still crying...Kim

[MIElvis]

i saw Elvis twice in concert in April 1977, detroit, Ann Arbor. I happened to be off work that day running everyday errands. I was home in the later afternoon, as habit I turned on the local five o'clock news> When the anchorwoman said "the man who rock and rolled the world since the 1950's has died" OMG I was startled. I could not believe that the man who so influenced my life was gone. Within moments my phone began to ring from family and friends wondering about my reaction. I has ecry album including Moody Blue so far but I felt compelled to go to Sears and buy me another copy of it. I then went to my parents house which I had moved out of only a couiple months ago.
All round a bad day for sure. I've been recently battling throat cancer and hoping it's a few more years before I see Elvis again.

[Lisarose]

I was setting up my apartment in Houston, before college started, I decided to drive to Galveston to go to the beach, and I heard it on the radio as I was on the causeway, I couldn't pull over, slow down or stop, I cried all the way. Another legend passed away.

[tony70]

I was playing in my front yard in the dirt cause we were just moving in to our house and there was no sod down yet

[renapap05]

I wasn't born....LOL.:lol:

[TotallyInsane]

Posted once before...posting again for new members.

I was at my aunt's house the day he died. When I found out I left my aunt's house and went to my mom's house. We left that night around 9:00 p.m. and my grandfather was not happy!! He just couldn't understand why we were going. I was 18 and had a 1976 Camaro and believe me, nothing was going to stop me. I got stopped immediately after getting out of Houston because I was missing a headlight. Had Elvis bumper stickers all over my bumper and the highway patrol asked me where we were going. It just popped out my mouth, not even thinking...and I said a funeral. He said oh really, who died? At that point I realized what I had said so I had to say my uncle. Needless to say, I'm sure he didn't believe me but he told me to stop at the next town and get my light fixed and he would let me go. Mom started driving in the wee hours of the morning. We were just around West Memphis when Mom woke me up and said they had just announced that they were going to let the fans in to view the body. I told her "let me drive". We got to Graceland and there was a crowd forming but it wasn't too bad yet. We parked the car and got in line. As the day went on, it got hotter and the crowd got bigger. At sometime during that day, a reporter from the Memphis newspaper came through the crowd and interviewed me because I was holding a red rose to take up the driveway. There was an article in the newspaper the next day with my picture holding the rose. It was getting pretty late in the afternoon and you couldn't move. I felt as if I was passing out and the crowd picked me up and passed me to 2 paramedics. My mom couldn't get through so we got separated at that point. They took me in to the grounds and I laid on the ground under a tree and drank some water. After I started feeling better I waited for my mom to get in but never saw her. I finally got up and got in the line to go in the house. I went in the front door and was nothing more but in a complete daze. There were people on the stairs and on both ends of the casket but I couldn't tell you who they were when I walked out the door...my mind was just empty. As I was walking back down the driveway my mom yelled out to me and she was headed up the driveway...so I made a u-turn and got back with her and went back up. We saw Lisa up by the house going towards the back of the house with a man. Again, as I left the house I couldn't tell you who was there as I just couldn't take my eyes off the casket. My mom told me Linda Thompson was sitting on the staircase. As we went back down the driveway we both really couldn't believe how much of a younger Elvis he appeared to look. Since the Shriners were in town for a convention and all the Elvis people pouring in, there was no place to get a room. Across the street from Graceland was a shopping center (not the Elvis shops that are there now). We had no choice but to just stay in the car. I got on the hood of the car to sleep because it was so hot and there were probably 300 other Elvis fans in the parking lot so I wasn't scared. Sometime during the early hours I was woke up by people running and screaming and in a daze I walked to the edge of the street and asked some people standing there what had happened. They told me 2 girls just got ran over. Since I had very few hours sleep I just wasn't awake. I walked back to my car and went back to sleep...I really think it was more of just an emotional shock of everything that caused me to go back to my car and sleep. I can't even tell you how much my body was just going through the motions...I don't even remember eatting the whole time we were there...I know we did but I have no idea where or what. The next morning we took our place on the curb over by the building that used to be the church. The day started, the heat started and you can't even imagine how rough that day was. When the funeral procession started coming out the driveway, people started running out into the street but the cops were quick to get them back. As the cars passed all you could do was try and see the cars through the tears. I'm sure it was loud but I can honestly tell you I didn't hear a thing...it was a slow motion soundless movie. We stood there and watched until the last car was out of sight. I've never written anything about that day or that trip and the simple reason is there aren't any words that can tell you what it was like. The next day before we left we went to the cemetary and they were giving the hundreds of thousands of flowers away to the fans. My mom and I each got a flower and began the long drive home. I still have my flower in my bible. He will always be one of the most special people in my life. As sad as this may sound, he has been more a part of my life than many of my own family members and definitely has given me much more happiness. The memories I have of seeing him live in concert 25 times during 1970-1977 are memories that will forever make me smile!

[riley]

totallyInsane,

what a touching story....
Sad but at least you still got to see him and were able to say your farewell...

[midnight]

Wow Gail, that is so powerful! Everytime I read your story I get so emotional! I have loved Elvis all my life too but to me he is almost like a mystical being, yet a part of my family! He has done things for me that no one else has ever done. That sounds really weird but it is true. But for you Gail he was a real person someone who you actually saw, touched, and who breathe the same air that you did when you attended his concerts. I can only imagine how it must of felt being there at his death! I thank you so much for sharing that with us!!
You know the picture of you holding that rose is in one of my Elvis books that I have had for years! I always wondered about that little girl! It is so amazing how life works and how things that you least expect often comes together.

[smithversusneo]

Thank you all for your stories. It was only 2 days after my 6th birthday and I had yet to really know who Elvis was at that time.

But as you mentioned 'midnight', it is as Elvis was a member of my family. I constantly refer to him as my big brother. Even though I never knew him, I'm miss him so very much. :sad: