For the past decade, Tom Cunningham of Seymour had performed as Elvis and prayed with patients while working at local hospitals. For the past week, countless people prayed for him and his wife, Stephanie, after they were admitted to the intensive care unit at Blount Memorial Hospital with COVID-19.

When Tom died Sunday, Nov. 28, Stephanie said she knew those were the words — “Elvis has left the building” — he would have wanted her to use to share the news. He formally worked as a member of the UTMC custodial staff, but he did more than clean the halls. People would come up to Tom and reminisce, and he was known to sing just like The King of Rock and Roll himself.

Blount Memorial said in a statement from Jennie Bounds, director of public relations and marketing, “Tom’s energetic presence is one that brought smiles and laughter to so many of our patients, visitors and staff, and for anyone who had the opportunity to meet him, it’s easy to see how he could leave a lasting impression with you.

“He will be missed by all of us at Blount Memorial, and we send our prayers to his family and friends,” she wrote.

“Tom was a very godly person, and every morning, he prayed over our staff in our morning huddle,” said Jeff Vickers, environmental services manager. “He felt his mission was to be here, and he felt there was a reason that he was supposed to be here. He took every opportunity he had to make someone’s day better, and for that reason, so many people in this hospital knew and loved him.”

Cunningham had worked at the University of Tennessee Medical Center for eight years before leaving in 2020. At Blount Memorial, he told The Daily Times early this year, he felt able to pray more openly.