Destiny from a childhood joke
For millions of fans around the world, Elvis Presley was an untouchable idol. But for Linda Thompson, the former Miss Tennessee, the connection between her and the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll seemed predestined by fate since she was a six-year-old girl.
In fact, Presley held a special place in Thompson’s heart from early childhood, when she once told her parents that one day when she grew up, she would marry the legendary singer. This was not merely the admiration of a young fan, but a strange prophecy that followed her throughout her growing years.
“When I was six years old, sitting having breakfast, I [told my parents], ‘I’m going to marry Elvis Presley,'” Thompson recalled.
The fateful meeting at the Memphian theater
In July 1972, when Linda Thompson turned 22 and had just won the Miss Tennessee crown, she had the opportunity to meet Elvis Presley at the Memphian movie theater — a place the male singer often rented out entirely to watch movies with friends at night.
From the very first moment they crossed paths, the electric current between the two instantly exploded. Elvis, who was separated from his first wife Priscilla Presley at the time, was completely captivated by the sweet beauty, intelligence, and warm personality of the young girl 15 years his junior. For Linda, the man of her dreams since the age of six was now standing in the flesh right before her eyes.
4 and a half years of youth and an irreplaceable position in Elvis’s life
Although Linda Thompson and Elvis Presley never officially walked down the aisle as she had declared at age 6, their relationship, which lasted four and a half years (from 1972 to late 1976), is considered one of the most peaceful and happy periods of Elvis’s life.
Linda moved into the Graceland mansion, becoming the caregiver, soulmate, and solid emotional support for Elvis during the years he faced health crises and the pressure of the spotlight. She loved him with a pure love, protecting him from the dark corners of a life full of temptation surrounding a global superstar.
Although the two ultimately chose to separate amicably because Linda desired a normal family life and could no longer bear to witness the destruction of Elvis’s health due to a self-destructive lifestyle, the affection between them never faded. To this day, when recalling the past, Linda Thompson always affirms that Elvis Presley is a part of her flesh and blood, her great love, and proof that sometimes the wildest dreams of a child turn out to be the exact destiny that happens in real life.