The singers incredibly unhealthy diet consisting mostly of cheeseburgers and chronic constipation inevitably contributed to these problems. From my research, he was always trying to help Elvis but the line between friend and doctor got blurred, Hoedel says. Selena Gomez at the White House: Why mental health is 'personal' for the singer, actress, "What will create a better and more empathic relationship between fans and celebrities ismore celebrities empowering themselves to speak out about their authentic being,"Rockwellsays. More: Austin Butler's 'Elvis' acting lessons began when Tom Hanks delivered a typewriter to his door. "In the last few years of his life, he was very aware of how ill he was," she said. She says, 'Come upstairs, I need help. Why was he in so much pain? He had back pain, digestive troubles, and eye afflictions, including glaucoma. says Rockwell, adding that "alot is given away when an artist becomes famous that they are ill-prepared for.". If you're depressed,go see a therapistor check yourself into rehab if you need to. Psychologists say efforts to reimagine celebrities as more than their stardomand wealth succeed in destigmatizing and humanizingthe mental health conversation. Indeed, the other two pathologists later admitted that Francisco was covering up the real cause of death at the request of Elviss mortified family who were concerned about the singers reputation. Presley was found unresponsive at Graceland. "People become agoraphobic. Exactly what caused Elvis Presley's death remains shrouded in mystery. Market data provided by Factset. The truth is more complex. Some experts agree Elvis may have been performing at a feverish pace to meet fans' demands at the expense of his well-being. That one scene sums up how the real Elvis Presley spent his final years before dying of an apparent heart attack in 1977 at the young age of 42. The King's only true friend near the time of his death was arguably Letitia Henley, his live-in nurse. He also worked really hard to hide it. Title track "Moody Blue" became Elvis' final Number One single; the song is in keeping with the pop music of the time, tinged with disco and exotica, but still showcases the warbling, lonely figure that the singer had become. Appropriation or appreciation? Everyones relying on me. Thats not enough for a man who culturally shifted our universe. Elvis Presley holds court at a press conference to publicize his show at Madison Square Garden later that night while Colonel Tom Parker looks on at the Hilton Hotel on June 9, 1972, in New York City. Legal Statement. The death of Elvis Presley came with a shock and sadness, one hot summer day--August 16th, 1977. . He pulled his whole family out of poverty. His excuse for throwing all these high-octane drugs around? So we know that its physically hard on his body and thats why hes taking more medication when hes on the road. But his immune system wasnt fighting off infection as it should have. Does Austin Butler sing in 'Elvis'? As recorded in Rolling Stone, the three bodyguards co-wrote a tell-all biography of Elvis that was released only days before his death. But especially in his later years, he developed a range of phobias and obsessions, had trouble sleeping and gradually relied on drugs to get through the day. We don't know what their fears are, what their hopes are, what their dreams are, what their sadness is. "So when we see a celebrity altered in any way, we can say 'Oh, see, they faltered,'or 'They're not perfect.' The music icon passed away nearly 43 years ago, on Aug. 16, 1977, at age 42 from a heart attack, which doctors said was likely brought on by his addiction to prescription barbiturates. "He was encouraged to cancel the tour. Here's why. He paid strangers hospital bills if he heard they were poor. His health issues were varied but he hid them so well that over-medication is all we remember now, Hoedel says. Elvis' health problems had started long before that August day in 1977. The pressure to perform, the loss of privacy and the incessant public scrutinycan also cause anxiety and depression leaving some to cope with medications, alcohol or other substances to reduce stress. newsletter for analysis you wont find anywhereelse. Elvis Presley had multiple diseases. The King was just 43 when he was found face down on the floor of the bathroom at his Graceland home, appearing to have fallen off the toilet. Now The King's cousin has shared specific . A new book by Sally Hoedel argues that the singer was a sick man supporting his family and friends. We and our partners use cookies on this site to improve our service, perform analytics, personalize advertising, measure advertising performance, and remember website preferences. Popping pills. How 'Elvis' highlights his complicated history with Black music, A year-by-year look: 45 Elvis events in the 45 years since the death of the King, Just Curious:We're here to help with life's everyday questions, The "King of Rock 'n' Roll," Elvis Presley, died at his Graceland home in Memphis, Tennessee, aged just 42. They were all connected. He had been known to use "antihistamines, tranquilizers such as Valium, barbiturates, Quaaludes, sleeping pills, hormones and laxatives, for the constipation.". According to LiveAbout.com, Elvis became dependent on several different types of prescription drugs, specifically amphetamines to keep him awake and barbiturates to help him sleep or relax. And with his gruelingrecording and concert schedules, many speculated that he was strugglingwith isolation in Graceland as well as the pressures to excelafter his hiatus inthe Army and the booming popularity of The Beatles. (Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images). His full medical saga has only recently begun to be thoroughly examined. At some point, Presley headed to the bathroom where he experienced a cardiac event. Linda Thompson (left) posing with her then-boyfriend Elvis Presley and her parents. During many shows, the audience wouldn't be able to understand what he was saying, and he would often leave the stage early, unable to continue. He turned to food for comfort and had gained a considerable amount of weight. . They have families to look after. Forest believes it all stemmed back to a serious head injury he sustained in 1967 that triggered a progressive autoimmune inflammatory disorder. "Elvis knew there was something terribly wrong with his body, something more than the colon, the liver, the medication," said Presleys hairstylist Larry Geller. With aging, drugs, a hefty and unhealthy diet, and a hard lifestyle, health issues increase, which resulted in Elvis's death on a toilet. I saw the sadness and the happiness. (Getty Images). Kirk, her husband and their daughters soon found themselves living in Graceland. What about now? In December 1976, after a brief courtship, the singer gave her a $70,000 engagement ring an expenditure that many thought was more for show than actual sentiment. Linda had been a stabilizing force in the singer's world, but she eventually left him because she wanted a more normal life. found Presleylying unconscious on the floor of the master suite bathroom, The 10 best (and the absolute worst) Elvis movies, ranked. And he would say, I cant. Hodel claimed that Presley continued to use medication to not only provide him relief but also to function. During the final months of his life, Elvis Presley was said to be in a lot of physical pain. Whats Missing in Elvis Movie: The Kings Chronic Illness, The Strange Medical Saga of Elvis Presley.. Atherosclerosis is a condition where arteries become clogged with fatty substances. Dealing with addiction and health issues and having a difficult time adjusting to the shifting cultural climate of the '60s and '70s, Elvis died a Vegas showman rather than a groundbreaking rocker. The pressure to perform, the loss of privacy and the incessant public. Ed Sheerans wife diagnosed with tumor during pregnancy: Spiraling through depression, Prince Harry describes the rest of his life in five words amid 'Spare' fallout: 'Freedom', Chris Rock plans to address Will Smith Oscar slap in live Netflix special, Prince Harry apology 'demands' from King Charles, Prince William before coronation are 'delusional': experts, Brendan Fraser recalls near-death experience filming 'The Mummy' scene: 'I was choked out', Morgan Evans' dad recalls 'everything' being 'destroyed' in singer's life after Kelsea Ballerini divorce. This manifested most egregiously in March 1977 during two stops in Louisiana. "Elvis's story is looked on as one of destruction, but it is a futile struggle to survive, through poverty and then through health issues. He would ask her, "Would you rub my legs? The singer had developed a dangerous dependence on prescription drugs and turned to overeating. ", Harry, Meghan, The Rock, Naomi Osaka: Why celebrity mental health struggles matter. One of the reasons Elvis turned to the medication was pain. When the toxicology report came back several weeks later, however, Elvis blood was found to contain very high levels of the opiates Dilaudid, Percodan, Demerol, and codeine as well as Quaaludes. She credits this topublic figureslike Selena Gomez, Billie Eilish and Michael Phelps, who usetheir platforms toshare theirstruggles and help reducemental health stigma. This kitschy new incarnation of his identity at the time of his death what many refer to as "Old Elvis" led to him becoming a new sort of posthumous icon, with many claiming his passing was faked and that Elvis was either alive on a private island somewhere or abducted by aliens. For Mr Tennant, one major clue was in the full-body deterioration of Elvis, with almost every organ plagued by ill health. Elvis was sitting on the toilet, straining very hard to have a bowel movement a maneuver that put a great amount of pressure on his heart and aorta. If he didn't prescribe the pills to Elvis, someone else would, and at least this way he wouldn't get them off the street. … We really aren't happy for them, because we want that life, too, and we can't get it," Rockwell says. Get a daily dose of showbiz gossip direct to your inbox. And that's something that people who have wealth or fame have difficulty getting into.". Market data provided by Factset. 'Stan' culture: needs to stop or at least radically change. (Getty), LISA MARIE PRESLEY'S SON, BENJAMIN KEOUGH, DEAD AT 27, He was very, very happy with Linda, said Kirk, adding Thompson was an intelligent stunning lady., But the romance was not meant to be. He was often getting fevers and flu-type symptoms. The singer, who made teenage girls hysterical with his movie star looks, catchy songs and gyrating. "Its hard for us to imagine [that he was in physical pain] because he once appeared so perfect on the outside that he couldn't have been flawed on the inside," author Sally A. Hoedel told Fox News Digital. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. The jury thought Dr. Nick was acting in the best interests of the patient (an extremely improbable conclusion, it seems to this doctor) and was acquitted. Todays tears belong to musical monarch Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, who died Thursday at age 76 of pancreatic cancer. His eye was staring straight ahead and blood red.". And theres evidence of that time and time again. For fans of rock and roll everywhere, the King's death was a monumental blow. (CBS via Getty Images). In many ways, the Jungle Room was perfect for the task. In addition to the head and heart problems, author Sally A Hoedel lifelong Elvis fan, historian and journalism graduate delved into his family history discovering more about his health. Elvis Presley had multiple diseases. By 1976, Elvis had become disenfranchised and unhinged, his drug use, bad health, and financial excess chipping away at his composure. If we can strip away the negative connotations, and then look at the consequences, theres a lot of truth to be uncovered, Hoedel says. Many other musician biopics, such as Bohemian Rhapsody, fail to cover the latter half of these prolific figures' lives, mostly focusing on their rise to fame and notoriety.That being said, Elvis struggled with a fair number of health issues that Elvis didn't address, leading up to his tragic passing. We just see whatever we want," Manly says. Elvis' downward spiral of health struggles is intertwined with his life story, and for the first time, it is revealed that he suffered from disease in nine of eleven bodily systems. The setlist included many of his classic hits like "Hound Dog," "Don't Be Cruel," and "Jailhouse Rock," as well as newer numbers like "Hurt" and his cover of "Bridge Over Troubled Water." "Elvis was a strong individual," stepbrother Billy Stanley reflected. According to Elvis' longtime friend and hairdresser Larry Geller, the star was ready to turn his life around in the months leading up to his passing at age 42 in August 1977. Elvis' last live gig was on June 26, 1977, at the Market Square Arena in Indianapolis to a crowd of 18,000 fans, according to LiveAbout. As a young man embracing both a punishing work schedule and the stresses of newfound celebrity, Elvis was under a tremendous amount of pressure. And he does that in the last several years of his life. "Theres no specific negligence on anyones part and definitely no cover-up or conspiracy of a criminal act. He was very family-oriented, Kirk explained. The music icon passed away nearly 43 years ago, on Aug. 16, 1977, at age 42 from a heart attack, which. First he complained of vertigo, back pain, and insomnia, eye infections and headaches, and in 1973 he was rushed to hospital in a semi-coma and found to be suffering from jaundice, severe. Hoedel writes that Presleys health problems were intertwined with his life story, and he suffered from disease in nine of 11 bodily systems. adios.". His body was swollen, he struggled to sleep, he was said to be constipated and everything just hurt. He was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 3:30 p.m. The grave of singer Elvis Presley in Graceland. Priscilla pointed out that Elvis had written a note to friend and "Memphis Mafia" member Joe Esposito, which stated, "I'm sick and tired of my life. Elvis was know to be a prodigious eater. All rights reserved. Since the June 2022release of BazLuhrmann's"Elvis,"starring Austin Butler and Tom Hanks, discourse surrounding Presley's life and death has become all shook up. needs to stop or at least radically change. Despite his introverted personality, Presley had immense musical talent. According to Elvis: Destined to Die Young, the singers downward spiral, punctuated by health problems routinely written off as the consequences of addiction, could have been caused by Presleys maternal grandparents, who were first cousins. He needed a full-time nurse and apparently refused to bathe throughout 1975, causing him to develop sores on his body. (Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images). I turned him over and I knew. But on this day 41 years ago, millions of music lovers wept to the news that Elvis Presley, the King of Rock n Roll, was dead. Elvis grew up in a loving family with not much money. Hoedel said Presley was "worried" about his health deteriorating. Here's his response. He wasborn inTupelo,Mississippi, on Jan.8, 1935. And yet, the darkness and desperation surrounding Elvis' final months and death have made him an imperfect icon idolized by subcultures your average Graceland-bound tourist might not expect punks, goths, and modern-day rockabillies, who appreciate the mismatched sides of the singer's life. As a result of his horrendous diet, he suffered from chronic constipation and a post mortem found he had compacted stool that was four months old sitting in his bowel. The critics noted his weight gain when reviewing his public appearances. Pain News Network is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit charity. This website is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. "We tended to treat Elvis as someone who was supposed to be a very wonderful icon of American rock and roll. Others claimed he'd died from a drug overdose, but when the investigation was reopened in 1994, coroner Joseph Davis disagreed. "[Those health] issues become more difficult to live with the more he tours, and he toured a great deal in those last several years. If you get a severe case like Elvis Presley, your life is going to be very miserable, and you're going to die young unless you get vigorous treatments.. Indeed, his medicine chest was filled with amber-colored, white-topped vials of medications, in doses no responsible doctor would have prescribed. He was not prejudice at all. All proceeds from sales of The Strange Medical Saga of Elvis Presley go the Tennant Foundation, which gives financial support to Pain News Network and sponsors PNNs Patient Resources section. While this is a cruel and derogatory way to describe someone dealing with personal health problems, it's undeniable that Elvis' eating and weight issues colored his last year on Earth. Five of those disease processes, she says, were present from birth. But when one looks at the last 12 months of Elvis' life, it becomes clear that the truth behind the King Of Rock And Roll's death might have been even stranger than the rumors people spread about him. Subsequent armchair diagnosticians (and a few geneticists who claimed to have a lock of Elviss hair and performed a DNA analysis of it) have suggested Elvis had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle in which there is thickening of the hearts walls, weakening and enlargement of the muscle itself, and, ultimately heart failure or sudden cardiac death. The Presley family in general did not have a good track record for health. Elvis Presley collector reveals why the King is more valuable 45 years after his death. People assumed, Well, thats just an excuse to get medication. But he really was having this problem with fighting infection. At 10 years old, he placed fifth inthe 1945 Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show for a solo performance without musical accompaniment, saidbiography.com. Hoedel, an historian, claims it was not a coincidence, that Presleys mother, Gladys, died at 46 and Presley at 42. He was miserable because hed gained so much weight. LOS ANGELES - It has been widely reported that Elvis Presley died in 1977 from cardiac arrhythmia, an irregular heartbeat, possibly brought on by drug dependency, obesity and a weak heart. ", Elvis Presley holds court at a press conference to publicize his show at Madison Square Garden later that night while Colonel Tom Parker looks on at the Hilton Hotel on June 9, 1972, in New York City. But according to the book The Mysteries Surrounding the Death of Elvis Presley, even worse was in Baton Rouge, where Elvis had to cancel a show because he couldn't make it out of his hotel bed in order to get to the venue. Elvis shifted our universe culturally like no one has before and he deserves to be treated like an historical figure, like Henry Ford or Thomas Edison, but instead he gets weighed down by sensationalism, and that keep us from the truth, she says. He once said: "Presley's chronic constipation - the result of years of prescription drug abuse and high-fat, high-cholesterol gorging - brought on what's known as Valsalva's maneuver. Elvisembodied modern American youth and rock 'n'roll, changingthe course of popular music with his songs, dance moves, charisma and wardrobe. "It doesn't get better than that. (According to the medical examiner's report,the singer died of hypertensive cardiovascular disease at 42.). Looking back at her past, she said theres one memory that still vividly sticks out. But according to "Elvis," overwhelming demand from fans played a part in his fall. Austin Butler chats with USA TODAY's Marco Della Cava about starring in Baz Luhrmann's "Elvis" as the title character alongside Tom Hanks. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Manly adds the objectification of Elvis also played a role in this mistreatment: not only was he used as a "moneymaking machine" by power-hungry leadersin the industry, but he was also sexualized and reduced toan image by his youngfemalefans. These efforts do not right the wrongs of the past. Prior to his death, Presleywas visually no longer thehip-swayingElvis the Pelvis sex symbol. One of the first responders who arrived at Graceland after the emergency call on the day Elvis died and helped carry him to the ambulance was quoted in the book "Elvis Presley: A Southern Life" saying he "must have weighed 250 pounds," according to Salon. I saw vulnerability. As detailed in the documentary Elvis Presley: The Last 24 Hours, Elvis' final day on earth included a nighttime trip to the dentist in search of prescription drugs, a 4 a.m. game of racquetball with his cousin Billy Smith, and an impromptu piano performance of classics including "Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain." Thus, he likely died of a massive heart attack and keeled over onto the floor. Elvis Presleys former private nurse Letetia Henley Kirk has had the King on her mind. Britney Spears had her trauma exploited: What it means to finallyhear her side. While the world at large saw Elvis as the man who had it all, Letitia known to those around Elvis as "Tish" had a private window into his personal struggles. 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