Thousands attend Aretha Franklin's second day of viewing

DETROIT (WJBK) - Thousands of fans lined up for a second day paying their respects to The Queen of Soul on Wednesday.

They remembering how Aretha Franklin touched their lives with her amazing music - during a non-stop outpouring of love for the icon and legend at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African-American History.

Public viewing was supposed to end at 9 p.m. but the long line has kept it going past 10 p.m. A constant stream of people entered the museum and leaving with a sense of inspiration. 

For some the expression of gratitude comes easy by singing, while others express it by traveling great distances just to be in the presence of greatness. 

"She is the queen and I bow to the queen," said Dee Dearmon from San Francisco.

And for many, the reasons are personal.

"My mom is such a fan of Aretha," said Regina Jackson, from California. "As a matter of fact she had three kids on Aretha Franklin's songs."

"She is very happy at the turnout," said Alicia Dickson. "We all got together to celebrate her life. she left us a lot. she left us soul."

For some, it is hard to express.

"Everything was beautiful but to reminisce a moment and to see Aretha," Anthony Bledsoe, 10. "You've got to keep the moment, the memory - and it's just amazing you know."

At just 10 years old, Anthony Bledsoe is seeing the impact one person can have in this world. 

"People have come from Jamaica, Africa, all over the world," he said. "Just wanting to see one person."

It is the power to inspire and Anthony is taking it all in. 

And it all equals one thing: r-e-s-p-e-c-t. 

A 1940 Cadillac LaSalle hearse is the same that was used in Aretha Franklin's father's funeral, and now it will be used to take her to her final resting place.