The Las Vegas Stories. Marijke Gerritsen

Summer 2021. In the midst of the global pandemic, my friend Linda asks me if I would like to travel with her to Las Vegas in 2022. To reveal a star like in Hollywood there on the strip of David Cassidy.

She explains it all in an email and refers me to the site LVWOS and says join and see what you think of this idea.. It's really out of the blue. My retrospective farewell to David was in 2004, unconsciously, when his last handshake in the Wolf den Connecticut is etched in my memory. I was with the gang at the time, so I called the group of girls worldwide with whom I often arranged to travel to David and stay.

I discuss the proposal with my husband and he says 'do it' with a big smile!! and at the same time 'I see that you have already decided'… This is your goodbye to David!!

Plans are made, but brief. First we order tickets for the Donny O performance, these will be for sale on Ticketmaster in October 2021. He plays in Harrahs {we can still sell them}..anything with a big ?

The world is locked USA is on red.. The Netherlands too ..

Until suddenly February 16, 2022 BREAKINGNEWS, the travel advice for the USA is GREEN from that moment on, arrange, flight tickets pcr test before flying, health statement extra booster pfff. .it works.

And then suddenly.. Is it April 8th. The test brrr fingers crossed that I, but also Lin are negative, the numbers are rising again in the Netherlands. Until 9 p.m. Friday evening in the stress. Finally you are negative Linda too, we are allowed!!! Yesssss

April 9th with a smile from ear to ear and as two teenagers of 13, we leave Amsterdam over 10 hours flying time, a long one full of expectations.

Arriving in Vegas we first look for Hotel Bally's, it is busy on the Strip and distracted by two scantily clad ladies who scatter flyers, we arrive at a star, [not David's] we were walked over by those girls smoothly then follow a circle of stars .. and there again for the girls haha yes David's star, we chuckle because there is a flyer on David's star of a naked lady .. but take it off quickly. 

Now that we know where to go, we check the halls, the LV room that we have to report to the other day, and have something to eat and go to bed early, we are broken, we have been there for more than 24 hours.

April 10th Fan Day !!

A wonderful day with many famous spots, here in LV after being back for three years when as a closing of our {my husband and my} musical trip traveling through the USA we ended in The White Chapel , there we have our wedding vows in a crazy mood traveled again and then had a wonderful closing together in the Bellagio.. So nice to be here again and nice memories, ehh now without my hubby .

Fan Meet & Greet Auction & Benefit night

At around 5:30 PM we walk to Bally's where a line begins to form. Nice 70 outfits, one even crazier than the other so inventive, bags, dresses nothing is too crazy. Famous internet faces who's who and also nice the Cowsills come around.

I have the cover signed by Johnny Ray Miller (the book is at home) the tripping over my name hahaha it's not that difficult after all.

There are beautiful pictures of Henry Diltz I can't resist the temptation to buy there.

It's super fun with the girls and the music is hilarious and a lot of PF songs I haven't heard in ages.even a polonaise… At that moment I have my husband on the phone for him its early morning, I show it and he says oh dear do they already do that in the USA hilarious, so much fun. The evening is over too quickly, when leaving the room an emotional 1 on 1 conversation with Johnny.

April 11 we have to report 11 o'clock at the front Bally for the bus tour when boarding a shock I almost fall out of the bus, suddenly David's head is full size in front of me. after I have come to my positive from the shock, we get a David head on a stick. I see a Ball with a description on it havin a ball 

it will definitely be.. We sing in the bus or we are on a school trip hilarious.. the tour has already been described I will not go into that by saying that it was top organized and I haven't laughed like this in years thanks girls xxx

During the tour we get a weather alarm, a sand storm. Later on it is dangerous at certain points to walk on the strip you will be blown off your socks [to this day there is still sand in my shoes]...the resof the day we take our private tour and make plans for the 12th Davids Day!!

12 April

A bright blue sky

We make sure we are armed with a white guest towel and a bottle of water at the Bally's early why?..the star of David looks dirty and dusty. Linda gets on her knees in her smart outfit to polish the star. We succeed and now it is important to guard it that no one walks over it, we are followed by two guards who see the humor in it two teenage girls, also the man opposite Bally's in the ARC bar, for that we quickly eat a breakfast and keep an eye on everything, more fans are coming now we can relieve each

 other guarding the star.

11 am everyone is present group photos and individual photos. We put the red rose on the star, which looks very serene, even when the leaves fall off so symbolic. It's a goodbye our goodbye this feels so double David didn't have a funeral, I think we all feel this.

The guard next to the ARC bar who was also a fan back then and so was the man from the ARC bar also contribute by looking for David's music on their phone and streaming ITILY over the boulevard.

Mission completed.

We go inside the Jubilee Ballroom where the ceremony is with all the familiar people.It's great to see Frank Fabio a warm embrace after all these years with his wife. the hall fills up..Johnny Ray Miller, Timm Mc Coy, The Cowsills 

Scottie in his signature Bell records t-shirt,

In a nutshell there is too much to tell I take out Tim McCoy's wonderful loving speech that is so touching, many have moist eyes, including Johnny Ray’s ,speech this is so lovingly and beautifully worded and especially the words - that we are the ones to guard and preserve the legacy of David!!!

Bruce Kimmel speaking with the necessary humor, Frank Fabio, Mat and Kelli Gurman , Michael Pomarico , Gary Stockdale Susan, Bob &  Paul Cowsill it is very special to be here there is so much love for David you can almost feel his presence.

It's over too soon and we have to leave the room. Saying goodbye to Bruce we come into conversation, we linger and receive beautiful stories from Johnny and Scottie as a present Thank you guys !!

Together we walk out of the room on our way to the restaurant. Where we all enjoy a glass of wine at long tables, eat a delicious pasta, and enjoy each others company. As icing on the cake and end of this beautiful day and days, the BIRTHDAYCAKE wow beautifully made, THANK YOU organization!! A nice end to a trip that we could not dream of in advance so special .. we still have a little while in the normal LV world to recover, and then we fly back with a full head and are on cloud 9 for the time being with a huge jet lag.