'Just surreal': N.S. woman shares her experience at Lisa Marie Presley’s Graceland memorial

A Nova Scotia woman was among hundreds who attended a public memorial service Sunday for Lisa Marie Presley at Graceland -- the famed Memphis home of her father, Elvis Presley.

The 54-year-old Presley died Jan. 12, hours after she was hospitalized for a medical emergency.

Colleen Cole of Porters Lake, N.S., says she's always been an Elvis fan and has also followed the lives of his family members.

Although the memorial didn't start until 9 a.m. on the front lawn of the mansion, Cole says she entered a lineup outside Graceland at 3:45 a.m.

"We waited outside the gate for probably about an hour. It was cool though, to be there with other Elvis fans, everybody sharing stories. There were people from around the world," she said.

Cole described the service as "incredible" and "peaceful."

"The crowds, everybody gathering," she recalled, as she became emotional thinking about the experience. "Everybody sharing stories. There was no pushing and shoving."

According to Cole, no one knew who would be speaking or performing at the memorial service until the program was passed around for everyone to read.

Colleen Cole's program from Lisa Marie Presley's public memorial service is pictured. (Courtesy: Colleen Cole)

"As we're walking up the hill, everybody's opening it [the program] and you can hear everybody exclaiming, 'Oh my goodness. Alanis Morissette. Axl Rose.' So, we were all surprised and of course, that created more conversation," she said.

"It was just surreal."

It was previously announced that Lisa Marie's final resting place would be at Graceland next to her son, Benjamin Keough, who died in 2020.

Elvis and other members of the Presley family are also buried at Graceland.

With files from The Associated Press. 

A picture of Lisa Marie Presley and Elvis on display outside Graceland. (Courtesy: Colleen Cole)