Rescued Chilean miner gets Elvis invitation
Pena, a die-hard Elvis fan, led his fellow trapped miners in Elvis sing-alongs to pass time while waiting for their rescue. 'A trip to Graceland in Memphis could be just the escape he needs after such a long period of time underground', said Kevin Kern, the spokesman for Elvis Presley Enterprises.
The company and the Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau has offered Pena an all-expenses-paid trip for two, Kern said. Pena, the 12th miner to be rescued, looked fit and exuberant as he emerged Wednesday.
'He's just a true blue Elvis fan', Kern said. 'I can only imagine that Graceland would be the trip of a lifetime'.
Kern suggested the best time for Pena's visit would be after Christmas decorations go up 'inside and out' at Graceland on November 19. They stay up until Presley's birthday on January 8, he said.
'He's welcome to come whenever he feels up to it', Kern said. He would stay in luxury at the historic Peabody Hotel -- known for its trained ducks -- in downtown Memphis, he said.
Pena would 'experience everything Elvis, but also soak up some local culture', Kern said. The city is also known for its barbecue and the role it played in the birth of the blues, soul and rock 'n' roll, he said.
Elvis Got Me Through the Ordeal
Elvis Presley Enterprises sent Elvis music to Chile that was passed on to Pena underground. 'He's been listening to Elvis songs while running in the mine'. He told reporters it was Elvis who helped him get through the 70 days in which he was trapped underground. He even led fellow miners in singing Elvis songs.
When Graceland officials heard about this, they sent along a care package with a boxed set of CDs and picture of 'the "king' and asked that it be lowered into the mine for Pena.
Now, Pena has been invited for a special tour of Graceland where fans line up daily to see where Elvis lived for 20 years before he died on Aug. 16, 1977, and to view his gravesite.
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Tupelo's Own Elvis Presley DVD
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Tupelo's Own Elvis Presley DVD Video with Sound.
