BLOOMINGTON - There are certain events in history so surprising that people remember decades later where they were when they heard.

Take the John F. Kennedy assassination, for instance.

Or the death of Elvis Presley.

Terry Nybakke, an Elvis Presley fan, still remembers where he was when Presley died 30 years ago today. Presley, then 42, died of a heart attack at Graceland, his mansion in Memphis.

The Danvers resident, 51, recalls being at his Nybakke Vacuum Shop, then on Front Street in Bloomington.

"I was floored and shocked. It was like a family member had died," said Nybakke.

Nybakke learned definitively of Presley's death from a radio disc jockey who wanted Nybakke's reaction.

The disc jockey, Paul Dunn, remembers a long pause on the other end of the telephone line.

Nybakke remembers a sick feeling in his stomach.

Today, on the 30th anniversary of Presley's death, Nybakke will be in Memphis, where he expects as many as 100,000 people to pay tribute to the man known to many simply as the King.

Nybakke has been in Memphis with friends all week.

Besides staying busy at numerous commemorative events, Nybakke has engaged in a bit of people watching.

"You wouldn't believe how many are wearing Elvis shirts," he said.

The festive mood was expected to turn solemn during a candlelight vigil Wednesday night.

Solemn or festive, the events in Memphis are about celebrating Presley's life, Nybakke said.

Nybakke, co-owner of the vacuum shop now on IAA Drive, went to Memphis for the 25th anniversary of Presley's death and also expects to be in Memphis for the 50th anniversary.

Known in Bloomington-Normal as an avid Presley fan, Nybakke said by telephone that he's "into the music and spirit of Elvis Presley." He has all of Presley's music and has seen all his movies.

While Presley's body showed signs of wear and tear toward the end, Nybakke believes Presley's voice got better with age.

Dunn, now retired from WJBC, is another fan of Presley.

He recalled that Presley's death was all people who called to his radio show wanted to talk about for days.

"He was a sharecropper's son and was an inspiration to anybody who didn't grow up with a silver spoon in their mouth," Dunn said.