Tears Shed As Hundreds, Including Former Employees, Attended Candlelight Vigil For Hooters Location

As predicted, the site of the Hooters location in the Charleston, West Virginia, neighborhood of Kanawha City was an emotional scene on Friday night.  There were tears shed, fond memories shared, and even a reunion of sorts for former Hooters Girls at the candlelight vigil prior to the location's demolition.

Hundreds of people were in attendance to show their respects, one last time, to their beloved Hooters.  The vigil started as a joke between friends before taking on a life of its own.

The end of an era in the West Virginia neighborhood caught the attention of the breastaurant's corporate office, who responded by sending down calendars to be handed out to those in attendance.

One of those who attended the Hooters' last stand was Noah Collins, who summed up the event this way, "It's a lot of memories going down with that building."

A former Hooters Girl paying her respects, Danielle Hughart, had this to say, "I started out coming in to get a job and it became so much more because I met so many life-long friends and my co-workers."

Co-organizer Leo Browning said, "For all the naysayers, the doubters, the down talkers and whatnot. This building right here was a legitimate iconic figure to the Kanawha Valley."

The building, which was demolished as planned on Monday, is going to be replaced by a Sheetz gas station.  It might replace the physical building, but nothing his going to replace the spirit of the Hooters.

The crowd drove that point home with a "Long live Hooters!" chant on Friday night.

This Candlelight Vigil Was Bigger Than One West Virginia Hooters Location

That was enough for the toughest among us to tear up.  And the night wasn't finished tugging at the heartstrings of those in attendance.  It turns out a close friend of the candlelight vigil organizers has a sick daughter.

So they turned the goodbye to their beloved Hooters into a fundraiser for their friend's daughter, because that's what you do for a friend.

Browning announced, "One of our close friend's daughters, she was just diagnosed with a very, very rare disease and it's very serious.  If she don't get help then she's not going to be with us much longer."

The money raised, according to the vigil organizers, will allow the family to travel to California for treatment.  That's incredible.  Props to all involved.  Let's hope their friend's daughter is able to get the treatment she needs.