On the 40th anniversary of Elvis' death Wednesday, Priscilla Presley honored the King of Rock 'n' Roll by sharing memories of her ex-husband on "Today."
Speaking to Jenna Bush Hager on "Today" at Elvis' Graceland home in Memphis, Tennessee, the 72-year-old fondly recounted her time with Elivs.
"He had home here, he had Graceland," she said. "Once he went behind those gates, once he was in, you'd see him riding horses, you'd see him on the go-carts, on the golf carts. He was like a little kid here, just free, and relaxed and fun."
An estimated 50,000 fans attended a candlelight vigil at Graceland commemorating Elvis, People magazine noted.
Fans gather annually to pay homage to Elvis, who died of a heart attack Aug. 16, 1977, USA Today noted.
"We're here to honor and pay our respects and celebrate his life," Georgann Reynolds, 70, president of the Elvis Country Fan Club, told USA Today. "He crossed the barriers…he made the world feel the music."
Priscilla Presley told "Today" that one of her favorite times with Elvis Presley was when they would go to their stables early in the morning and talk. She recalled the fun times they had around the dinner table, laughing and sharing jokes.
"We didn't just have a couple of people, we had about eight or nine guys and the jokes that were told and the laughter. It's still here, and sometimes it's riveting. It's like I never left," she said.
She added that, after all these years, she could still visualize Elvis Presley walking down the stairs.
"The day he passed, it was shocking," Priscilla Presley said. "The streets were lined up with people all the way to cemetery and I remember looking and seeing people grieving and being in my own world still shocked."
Elvis Presley's casket was kept in the house briefly and Priscilla Presley described how she and Lisa Marie Presley said goodbye.
"It was devastating, he was so alive with so much energy and to think it happened at 42, he was still so young and he had so much left in him that he wanted to do."
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