UNKNOWN STORIES BEHIND THE LEGEND


STORY #19
Teenagers In Trouble..... The Chiefs of police in both Los Angeles and Memphis stated that Elvis had helped many people out of various situations. In the 1970's, it was reported that Elvis occasionally helped out teeagers who were in trouble with the law, sometimes even paying their bail. Before the policemen would let the teens go, however, Elvis would lecture them for a couple of hours about life, law, limits, and obeying the rules. He read their rap sheets and lectured them about what they'd done wrong and what they could, and should do to be better citizens in the future. Once these boys had their ears full of Elvis' words, they thanked him for bailing them out and ran off as fast as they could.




STORY #20
The King Sent Her Flowers... A young woman by the name of Peggy Thompson was an avid Elvis Presley fan for many years. In the 1970's, she purchased tickets to one of his shows near her hometown. It would be her first Elvis concert. Unfortunately, Peggy suffered an illness and was forced to have surgery. To make matters worse, the only day the surgeon was available to perform the operation was on the day of the Elvis concert. Unable to postpone the surgery, Peggy was forced to miss the show. Elvis found out about Peggy's situation from a fan who had a rendezvous with one of his men. He decided to send Peggy a dozen long-stemmed roses tied with one of his baby blue scarves. Peggy was in the intensive care unit when the flowers arrived. When she was released from the ICU later that day, she saw the marvelous bouquet. She saw the blue scarf, read Elvis' name on it, and couldn't believe that the King had sent her flowers!. Peggy marveled at how Elvis found out about so many unfortunate, sick, needy people, and how he always managed to make them feel better with his love and kindness.




STORY #21
AS TOLD BY... DAVID STANLEY - Elvis had a jet he leased to fly from show to show. There were threats to bomb that plane, as well as other threats. We walked out of our hotel on Long Island {New York}, where we were playing the Nassau Coliseum, and a guy pulled a switchblade on Elvis. I saw the blade reflecting in the sunlight. He had it down by his side. Elvis and I were walking together, and the guy moved forward as we moved forward, so I jumped across in front of Elvis and grabbed the guy by the back of the hair and slammed him agaist the wall. I had my gun down his throat until the others took him away. We ran into that from time to time, but that was the worst situation we had. Other times, some guy would try to punch Elvis out - jealous boyfriends, jealous husbands, even sometimes just fanatical women.




STORY #22
AS TOLD BY... SAM THOMPSON - There were very few real threats to Elvis' person - threats as a result of malice - but there were threats that sprang from the love Elvis' fans had for him. They all wanted a piece of him, and there were millions of fans and only one Elvis. I've taken Elvis into hotels and places where fans would literally pull his hair out. They didn't want to hurt him, but they wanted a piece of him. After every show, Elvis would have claw marks on his hands, and he would have to wear Band-aids; if you see pictures of him during and after shows, you'll see Band-aids. People would accidently claw him when reachng for him and reaching for scarves. Somewhere out in the Midwest, I took a lady offstage who had scratched Elvis in an attempt to get to him. As I was taking her off, she was yelling excitedly to her friends, "Look, Elvis' skin!". It was bizarre.


STORY #23
Denise Sanchez, an 8-year-old girl from Santa Fe, New Mexico, had been a huge Elvis Presley fan since she was four. After the Christmas holiday in 1971, Denise was diagnosed with cancer. She had to have her leg and part of her hip amputated when a large tumor was detected. A very short while later, the cancer spread to her lungs. Her doctors stopped the chemotherapy treatments she had been undergoing, stating that there was no more they could do for her.

Several months later, Denise's mother, Trudi, found out that Elvis was performing in Albuquerque on April 19, 1972. Mrs. Sanchez was able to get two tickets to the show. Her daughter was thrilled. As the day of the concert neared, Denise suffered a relapse and was given the devastating news that she was too sick to travel the 65 miles to see Elvis. The young girl cried for several days and begged her mother to take her to the show. She wanted to see Elvis in person before she died. Finally, her mother and her doctor agreed to let her go to the performance.

Two days before the show, Mrs. Sanchez was advised to go to the newspapers and have them print a story on Denise. Trudi went to the Albuquerque Journal and spoke with a reporter named Grace Marie Prather. Prather helped Trudi and Denise set up a meeting with Colonel Parker in the early afternoon on the day of the show. They spoke to Parker at length about Denise's condition and her wish to see Elvis. Parker told the women that they should come to the Hilton Hotel at 4 PM and he would see what he could do. Trudi brought her daughters, Denise and Paula, and her two best friends, Emma and Belinda Cantu, to the hotel at the appointed time. Prather also went along to document the meeting. The Colonel instructed them to come to the show at 5 PM. Denese could meet Elvis after the concert.

The entire clan drove to the Tingley Coliseum and were seated in special box seats. Denise fidgeted throughout the entire show, anxious for the performance to end so that she could meet her idol. During intermission, the Sanchez party was invited backstage to Elvis' dressing room. Denise was scared, fearing Elvis' reaction to her missing leg and hip and to her bald head. Elvis took one look at the child and knelt down in front of her, kissing both her cheeks. He told Denise that she was beautiful. Trudi started crying. She could not believe how loving Elvis was to her daughter and saw how happy and alive he made her feel. Denise shyly unrolled a poster of the King and asked him to autograph it. Elvis signed it: "To Denise - Love You, Elvis Presley". Denise then asked him to sing her a song once he went back onstage. As the second part of the concert began, Elvis dedicated the first song, "You Gave Me A Mountain", to Denise. He explained to the audience, "This song is for a very special little girl I just met backstage - Denise". Denise was thrilled and cried through the entire song.

When Denise got back home she told her mother that under no circumstances was she going to clean her face and wash off Elvis' kisses. Three days later, Denise had still not washed her face. On the fourth day, her mother finally forced her to clean her face. Elvis made little Denise's short life a happier one. His love for her helped her to feel better and eased her discomfort.




STORY #24
CONCERTS WERE SCARY SOMETIMES
AS TOLD BY...MAE AXTON - Girls would try to get onstage with him, especially when he was throwing those scarves out. In Oklahoma City one night I saw a girl get so excited she jumped out of the balcony. It might have killed her, but the people below her broke the fall. It was scary sometimes in those concerts.
SHAUN NIELSEN - One time Elvis threw a scarf out to a lady, and the lady made the mistake of crossing it around her neck. Suddenly there was one woman on one side and another on the other, both pulling at that scarf, literally choking the middle woman to death!. Elvis yelled, "Here now! Hold it!. Hold it!" and he threw scarves to the women on both sides of her. I do believe they would have choked the woman to death right there on the front row, all because they were determined to get that scarf.


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