Elvis' drug problem was the result of prescription drugs, some of which were administered for health problems. The King's only true friend near the time of his death was arguably Letitia Henley, his live-in nurse. They really tried to push Elvis beyond his capacity in the last few years of his life. This was especially true during the last year of his life, when he was deep in his chemical dependency and had left behind many of the loyal friends of his youth. But it's "She Thinks I Still Care" that is regarded by many to be Elvis' finest latter-day moments, illustrating a man trying to move on while trapped in the role tailor-made for him and revealing, according to Rolling Stone, "a real-life glimpse into the life of an increasingly isolated man.". 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.. And yet, when Elvis died on August 16, 1977, he had become something entirely different from his former self. "Elvis was a strong individual," stepbrother Billy Stanley reflected. Thank you. When critics and fans describe Elvis in his later years, one term used is "Fat Elvis." Elvis was taken by ambulance to the Baptist Memorial Hospital, where the medical staff was known to be more discrete than the far-closer Methodist South Hospital. 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. ", On top of his eating habits, Presley was a long-time user ofopiates, saidPBS. To this day, conflicting speculationssurroundElvis' death. In a toxicology report, weeks after his death, Elvis' blood was found to have had extremely high levels of the opiates Dilaudid, Percodan, Demerol and codeine, as well as Quaaludes. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. He was disabled, says Dr. Forest Tennant, a retired physician and pain management expert who is one of the last people alive to be intimately familiar with Elvis drug use and medical problems. His eye was staring straight ahead and blood red.". "Formerly retired . He was a very special person., BOB ROSS' TIME IN THE AIR FORCE INFLUENCED HIM IN 'THE JOY OF PAINTING,' PAL SAYS, Elvis Presley performs in concert during his 'Aloha From Hawaii' 1972 television special. ", ELVIS PRESLEY BECAME A ROCK 'N' ROLL ICON WITH THE HELP OF MEMPHIS CLOTHIER: THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING'. She says, 'Come upstairs, I need help. The rest of the tour was subsequently canceled, acting for many historians as a benchmark of just how far the King had fallen from the pedestals of his youth. Legal Statement. On the day that Presley died, the Colonel was already planning the start of his next tour. In her book Elvis: Destined To Die Young, Sally revealed that Elvis suffered from diseases in nine of the 11 bodily systems. 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. He was buried on the grounds of Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee. He took too much at times but he was self-medicating because he was trying to find a way to be Elvis Presley., Addiction specialists might term that elaborate rationalisation and justification of a king-size nature, but Hoedel says Presley also felt responsible for his family (as many as 10 members lived with him at Graceland), his band and the Memphis Mafia the courtiers who surrounded him. However, the home recording sessions of 1976 were fruitful, and seemed to inspire a burst of creativity in the King. 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. ", Why mental health is 'personal' for the singer, actress, Why celebrity mental health struggles matter, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Elvis did NOT die of a drug overdose, and very likely his death was unrelated to other direct effects of drugs, but it'd be naive not to accept that they almost certainly were a prime factor that led to his fatal heart attack. He was hospitalised again in 1975 with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and a condition called megacolon, whereby the large intestine becomes distended and can allow toxins to flood the body. To coincide with the commemoration of Presleys passing, Hoedel will be in Memphis to participate in several events and will be traveling to the U.K. for the "Strictly Elvis Festival" from Sept. 10 to 17. ", Remembering Elvis: Here are his 10 most popular hits. But was the King simply ignoring his well-being, or was he having suicidal thoughts? Elvis was a sick man who hid a lot of his weakness to fill concert venues and support his family. "We see that when he tours, he takes more medication than when hes not touring. "Elvis knew there was something terribly wrong with his body, something more than the colon, the liver, the medication," said Presleys hairstylist Larry Geller. He gave his rings to his fans during concerts. What about now? As soon as we begin to objectify real people, "we completely remove the individual's personality, their true selves. While Elvis did suffer from a pill addiction, as the Austin Butler Elvis movie ending explained, he had chronic pain and health problems that may have fueled it. Elvis had a way of getting what he wanted, said Kirk. In the last years of his life, he suffered from many heart-attack-provoking factors: a high-sugar, high-fat diet high blood pressure chronic insomnia liver damage rheumatoid arthritis chronic drug addiction Conditions such as post-concussion syndrome can lead to symptoms such as dizziness, headaches and difficulty concentrating. There, the body identified the matter as foreign and produced antibodies to destroy it, triggering hypogammaglobulinemia, a disorder of the body's immune system. Stephanie Nolasco covers entertainment at Foxnews.com. Elvis Presleys former private nurse Letetia Henley Kirk has had the King on her mind. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Examining them, she believes, is a way to humanise the mythical figure of Presley, who in later life was known for his corpulence and indulgent appetite. He needed a full-time nurse and apparently refused to bathe throughout 1975, causing him to develop sores on his body. Five of those disease processes, she says, were present from birth. His mothers family including three uncles were cursed by early death, the author Sally Hoedel says. Well, that's not true. Hoedel, an historian, claims it was not a coincidence, that Presleys mother, Gladys, died at 46 and Presley at 42. (Photo by Ron Galella/WireImage/Getty), SEAN ASTIN SAYS LATE MOTHER PATTY DUKES MENTAL ILLNESS LED HIM TO OFFER SUPPORT TO OTHER PEOPLE, Kirk claimed she tried to improve Presleys diet, but it didnt stick. Nick, was at Elvis beck and call for nearly a decade. These efforts do not right the wrongs of the past. The day before he died, a dentist gave Presley codeine for an aching tooth, not realizing how sick he was or that codeine could cause his heart to stop. 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. The Colonel owes a lot of money in gambling debts and some of the guys will be in bad financial shape if I dont keep working. They have families to look after. Elvis was a very kind hearted person. It was a time when Presleys daughter Lisa Marie Presley, as a child, came to visit Graceland. In the recent HBO documentary Elvis Presley: The Searcher, the singer's longtime wife Priscilla revealed that she wasn't sure whether Elvis' death was really an accident. The critics noted his weight gain when reviewing his public appearances. Forrest Tennant, author of The Strange Medical Saga of Elvis Presley, believed that the singer was actually suffering from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a connective tissue disorder . "One of the maids picked up the phone, and it's Ginger. ", WOULD ELVIS PRESLEY SURVIVE CANCEL CULTURE? She has a new book about the King coming out in September. Photo by CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images. Treatments for these conditions put Elvis in the hospital several times between 1973 and his death four years later. While some have sought to portray the family as hillbillies, the author points out that inter-marriage was not at the time unusual across society. While he was also taking many dangerous pharmaceuticals throughout his life, it was the heart disease caused by his bad diet that ultimately killed him. He would pass away that same year. Two-year-old Elvis with his parents Vernon and Gladys Presley in 1937 in Tupelo, Mississippi. Elvis grew up in a loving family with not much money. Hugely overweight, his mind dulled by the pharmacopeia he daily ingested, he was barely able to pull himself through his abbreviated concerts.". But now, "Elvis" (in theaters) strives to humanize the legendary singer beyond his musical abilities. This biographical musical drama chronicles the rock legend's rise to stardom, marriage toPriscilla Presley and overall legacy. "People become agoraphobic. Thus, he likely died of a massive heart. What were Elvis Presley's health issues that plagued him during his short life? Few if any figures in rock and roll history are as timeless or controversial as Elvis Presley. ELVIS PRESLEYS PAL WINK MARTINDALE REVEALS WHY HE BROKE DOWN AFTER SEEING THE KING FOR THE LAST TIME, Linda Thompson (left) posing with her then-boyfriend Elvis Presley and her parents. He had a private doctor who would prescribe him any pill he asked for, according to a People Magazine storyshortly after his death. "I realized this man was as iconic as they come, and yet he of course was a human being, sensitive and vulnerable, with virtues and flaws, and I got to experience all of that, Butler said in a USA TODAY interview. 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. But he was found to have a wide variety of drugs in his system including amphetamines, barbiturates, and opiates. People there in the inner group did but you did not tell Elvis what to do. The book, according to an excerpt in Salon, said it later was "established in court that during the seven and a half months preceding Elviss death, from January 1, 1977, to August 16, 1977, Dr. Nichopoulos had written prescriptions for him for at least 8,805 pills, tablets, vials, and injectables. We and our partners use cookies on this site to improve our service, perform analytics, personalize advertising, measure advertising performance, and remember website preferences. Presley, as depicted by actor Austin Butler, collapses in a hallway minutes before being scheduled to take the stage at the International Hotel in Las Vegas. ", Elvis Presley with his girlfriend Ginger Alden in March 1977 in Hawaii. Sally A. Hoedel wrote a book about Elvis Presley's health history that was published in 2020 titled Elvis: Destined to Die Young. Five of those disease processes, Hoedel finds, were present from birth. The singer, who made teenage girls hysterical with his movie star looks, catchy songs and gyrating pelvis during the 50s, was suffering from declining health in the 70s. He turned to food for comfort and had gained a considerable amount of weight. The grave of singer Elvis Presley in Graceland. As he had in recent gigs, Elvis appeared overweight and at times winded but was reported to have given a solid performance overall. This website is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. He was a severely injured and ill man. For Mr Tennant, one major clue was in the full-body deterioration of Elvis, with almost every organ plagued by ill health. Theres a scene towards the end of the new Elvis movie when you know the end is coming soon. Deeply depressed. These interviews provided us with an extraordinary opportunity to learn about Elvis' health, personal life and legacy. So we know that its physically hard on his body and thats why hes taking more medication when hes on the road. Dr. Howard Markel writes a monthly column for the PBS NewsHour, highlighting momentous historical events that continue to shape modern medicine. All Rights Reserved. I gently turned his face toward me. In the end, he died a lonely man whose ornate home became the embodiment of Heartbreak Hotel., Left: He had been known to use "antihistamines, tranquilizers such as Valium, barbiturates, Quaaludes, sleeping pills, hormones and laxatives, for the constipation.". And it was his girlfriend Ginger Alden who found the rock and roll star's body with his pyjama bottoms around his ankles and his bottom in the air. The autopsy results are due to be unlocked in 2027, but until then, the biggest insight into the star's mysterious death has come from prominent California physician, Forest Tennant, who actually reviewed the report while defending Elvis' doctor, Dr. George Nichopoulos, who was later acquitted of over-prescribing drugs. "Hound Dog" is an antique in 2020, but when it first premiered, it was a revolution. One of the first responders who arrived at Graceland after the emergency call on the day Elvis died and helped carry him . All rights reserved. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. In a toxicology report, weeks after his death, Elvis' blood was found to have hadextremely high levels of the opiates Dilaudid, Percodan, Demeroland codeine,as well as Quaaludes. 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. Elvis Presley in concert circa 1977. Growing up in the South, Elvistook comfort in greasy homestyle foods. Using this knowledge she states she was able to trace back every single one of his ailments which he suffered as a child including glaucoma, heart disease, diabetes and arthritis. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/elvis-addiction-was-the-perfect-prescription-for-an-early-death. Presley was a long-time abuser of opiates, which not only kill pain but also cause savage constipation. After all these years people still want to know what happened to the "King." By then, he really needs a lot of medication to achieve any form of sleep And hes taking things like Valium to achieve sleep because he literally cannot sleep any other way. needs to stop or at least radically change. [He and Priscilla] continued to be very close via the telephone. Hoedel, a lifelong fan, believes that much of the reams of literature about the singer, starting with Albert Goldmans 1981 Elvis, have distorted his image, and she believes that a revision is overdue. (Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images). "You always think there was something you could have done, that he might still be alive today. Elvis Presley performs during his second appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in 1956. His excuse for throwing all these high-octane drugs around? As recorded in Rolling Stone, the three bodyguards co-wrote a tell-all biography of Elvis that was released only days before his death. Appropriation or appreciation? We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Numerous documentaries have exposed the fatal cost of fame forElvis,who wasn't the healthiest of eaters and increasinglyrelied on drugs to both sleep andperform. For fans of rock and roll everywhere, the King's death was a monumental blow. The autopsy showed that Elvis was massively obese, had extensive plaques in his arteries and had a very enlarged heart. He was miserable because hed gained so much weight. "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. (Photo by Gary Null & Frank Carroll/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images), ELVIS PRESLEYS PAL RECALLS LAST TIME HE SAW THE KING: EVERYBODY HAD TEARS IN THEIR EYES. He also had at least four near-death overdoses that left him unconscious and in need of resuscitation, and his heart was double the normal size. He had this terrible heart, so he died suddenly, within seconds, as he was trying to sit on the commode., Fortunately, the Elvis movie spares us any final scenes like that ending instead with actual clips from one of Presleys last concerts. It was hard to be Elvis, no one had done fame like that . Elvis collapsed in the bathroom 24 hours later. Once there, doctors struggled to revive him without success and Presley was pronounced dead at 3:30 pm. Elvisembodied modern American youth and rock 'n'roll, changingthe course of popular music with his songs, dance moves, charisma and wardrobe. I wish there was something I could have done to make him a happier person. Todays tears belong to musical monarch Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, who died Thursday at age 76 of pancreatic cancer. The 78-year-old recalled how Presley would look down as the doctors spoke with him. (The doctor said they were for Presley's entourage as well.) Like so many rock stars, including Michael Jackson and Prince, Elvis employed an all-too-willing physician to feed his addiction and hasten his death. He allegedly told her, "I cant baby, I cant stop right now. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. But his immune system wasnt fighting off infection as it should have. 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. However, as Presleys body was slowing down, Hoedel said his determination to hit the road endured. 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. 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. He knew he was not going to be able to perform like he wanted to., We shared many hours together, she continued. They were all connected. After all, how would it look if the rock star who President Richard Nixon awarded a special badge from the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs had died of a drug overdose? But when we see the complexity of starsbeyond their fame and fortune, "the public is then forced to see them as human," Manly says. "He was encouraged to cancel the tour. It was huge, and its shag carpeting naturally absorbed ambient sound, although the fake waterfall did have to be turned off. I was very fortunate [to have known him]. EDS is a genetic connective tissue collagen disorder, and what that means is that you are genetically predetermined to have your collagen in certain tissues either disappear or deteriorate or become defective, and to put it bluntly, you can have a rectal problem and an eye problem at the same time due to the same cause because your collagen is deteriorating in these tissues, Tennant told my colleague Donna Gregory Burch in a 2021 interview. Elvis Presley is seen performing on June 20, 1977. He paid strangers hospital bills if he heard they were poor. He pitched forward onto the carpet, his rear in the air, and was dead by the time he hit the floor. Really he looked disproportionate a big swollen torso and face, with relatively slim arms and legs. (Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images). "He believed he could conquer all his problems himself. At 8:00 pm, Dr. Francisco, who only witnessed the autopsy, acted without the consent or agreement of the other two pathologists in announcing to the press that preliminary autopsy findings indicated that Elviss death was due to a cardiac arrhythmia and that drugs were not involved. He was only honest with a few people about it. They finally had to give him medication just so he could sleep. And then it became about his health He achieved the American dream, but he was also human. His twin brother Jessie wasstillborn, saidbiography.com. 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. A new book by Sally Hoedel argues that the singer was a sick man supporting his family and friends. 'I couldn't be an imposter': How Austin Butler vanished into the role of Elvis Presley. The toxicology report from Elvis' death said he had the opiates Dilaudid, Demerol, and Percodan in his blood, not to mention Quaaludes and codeine. Hoedel writes that Presleys health problems were intertwined with his life story, and he suffered from disease in nine of 11 bodily systems. A doe-eyed boy from the South whose unique mix of barking and crooning made him both a rebel and a heartthrob, Elvis changed the way the world thought about music, pop culture, and celebrity. Elvis Presley in concert circa 1977. With Elvis' extraordinary pain and the fact that the pain was inside the eyeball, where the nerve fibers and blood vessels are located, the problem was extremely dangerous and could even threaten his eyesight. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 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. He was not prejudice at all. He once told me, You never hear Superman asking for help.", "The touring is difficult," Hoedel explained. He explained: "The position of Elvis Presley's body was such that he was about to sit down on the commode when the seizure occurred. Presley was born inTupelo,Mississippi, on Jan.8, 1935, and died in Memphis, Tennessee, on Aug. 16, 1977. ", Review: Austin Butler rules as the King, butBaz Luhrmann's 'Elvis' is an unchained mess. I just want the world to know what a great, intelligent, kind, spiritual individual he was. He would also often say "God, I hurt all over." 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. ", In the year that Presley died, he had a fourth tour scheduled on May 20. Always seek the advice of a physician or healthcare provider for any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Some of the symptoms of this problem include fatigue, fainting spells and high blood pressure. I walked over, lifted his chin, and said, Elvis, if you talk to me, you look at me, she said. Meanwhile, though his adoption of African-American musical traditions is a bone of contention for many listeners today, in his heyday it was a powerful way to put non-white rhythms in front of segregated audiences. This statement was subsequently demonstrated not to be the case. He was only 42 years old and a bloated, fading version of the once-beautiful man whose rhythmic hip-swaying earned him the nickname Elvis the Pelvis. His girlfriend, Ginger Alden, found him unconscious, lying face down in the master suite bathroom on the second floor of his Memphis mansion, Graceland. "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. 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