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(click
above to enlarge or read below)
All
shook up - by a visit from 'Elvis'
A
cancer sufferer had her wish come true when the king
of rock'n'roll landed at the door step.
Margaret
Whitemen 59, of Raven Park, Helmshore. was given a surprise
visit by her favourite Elvis impersonator Louis Rockafella.
Margaret, who has nine grandchildren and is married
to Colin 62, was overwhelmed when Louis pulled up outside
her bungalow in his white in his white Rolls-Royce.
The couple fell in love with Louis when they first saw
him perform in Accrington more than two years ago.
Over
the last couple of years Margaret has been suffering
from a rare form of incurable cancer, linked to the
bowel, and regularly attends Christies Hospital, in
Manchester.
During
her time in hospital she passed the hours away by listening
to Louis's CDs and speaking to him on the phone nearly
every day. When she missed his last concert, Louis and
his wife Jaqnet decided to pay Margaret a special visit.
Margaret
said "I was shocked when I saw them pull up. I
heard some kids shouting Elvis is here and I wondered
what on earth they were talking about. Its a dream come
true as Louis is my favourite Elvis impersonator."
Louis
who lives in Ormskirk, added "It was Janet's idea
to do this because Margaret never misses seeing me perform
so when she couldn't make it to the last concert we
thought we would do something to cheer her up"
Margaret
and Colin are hoping to make it to the next gig which
is to be held in Nelson, at the Palatine Club, on September
10.
Above
writing by Charlotte Bradshaw
from
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 24th August 2004
Additional
Info below (not published )
The
show on 10th September will
be the opening night of the newly renovated New Palatine
Club, Nelson and Louis will be performing with his very
own 6 piece band The Dixie Mafia. Another show
in the area is on Friday October 22nd in The Kingstreet,
Club, Accrington where he will be bringing along a special
guest Buddy Holly. (details on Events
List page)
Louis
is no stanger the the Cancer illness. Only last year
in October 2004, Louis lost his own mother to Cancer
very suddenly, only a few days after he had just returned
home from performing his show in USA. Louis mother
was a big Elvis fan and only 2yrs before she passed
away, he took her on a surprise trip to Elvis home in
Graceland, her lifelong ambition.
In
February this year in his mother Bettys memory, Louis
performed for the Betty Fella Memorial Concert in Leeds
and raised in total more than £6000 for Cookridge Cancer
Hospital, Yorkshire.
Since
then his father Luigi has been diagnosed with throat
Cancer and is attending the same hospital. Also this
coming October Louis will be helping the Macmillan Cancer
charity by performing at a high profile event entitled
"Viva Las Vegas "with comedian Johnny Vegas in Liverpool.
Later
after dropping in on Margaret Whiteman, Louis continued on his
King of Hearts day trip by calling in on another lady
at her home in Empress Street, Lower Darwen. Muriel
Newton also a big fan of Louis Rockafella, has addmitted
that she plays Louis "Spirit of Elvis" CD
non-stop every day, just ask the neighbours ! Muriel
is also suffering from cancer and when Louis dropped
by to bring her his latest new CD "The Spirit of
Elvis Vol.2" - She was thrilled! Really brightened
up her day ! Muriel is also hoping that she will be
well enough to see Louis shows in Palatine and Kingstreet
coming soon.
See
photos below: click to enlarge.

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Surprise
!

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Gifts
for Margaret

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Back
seat with "Elvis" !

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Margaret
Feels like the Queen! Lets Rock'n'Rolls
Royce around Rossendale!

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Colin
& Margaret outside their home with Louis

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2nd
surprise visit of the day to see Mauriel
Newton of Lower Darwen

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