Lisa Marie Presley, the only child of the legendary Elvis Presley, has shared intimate and heartbreaking details surrounding the death of her son, Benjamin Keough, who tragically died by suicide at the age of 27. These revelations come to light through her posthumous memoir, From Here to the Great Unknown, which was completed by her daughter, Riley Keough, after Lisa Marie's own untimely passing due to complications from bariatric surgery.
According to the memoir, Lisa Marie made the shocking decision to keep Benjamin's body at home for nearly two months following his death in July 2020. This choice was deeply personal for her, as she sought to have time to say goodbye. "It was really important for my mom to have ample time to say goodbye to him, the same way she'd done with her dad," Riley explained. The passing of her father, Elvis, when Lisa Marie was just 9 years old, had left a significant impact on her life, shaping the way she handled the death of her son.
During those two months, Lisa Marie utilized dry ice to preserve Benjamin's body, which was kept at 55 degrees inside their home. She opted to avoid the morgue entirely, instead, wanting to keep Benjamin nearby. "I got so used to him, caring for him and keeping him there. I think it would scare the living f---ing p--- out of anybody else to have their son there like. But not me," she candidly stated. To Lisa Marie, having Benjamin close provided some semblance of comfort during her overwhelming grief.
Riley passed on her mother's words, illustrating the deep connection and protective nature Lisa Marie felt: "She didn't want his body to be somewhere where people could mess with it." The family, known for their high-profile status, often felt the pressure of public scrutiny, and Lisa Marie wanted to control the narrative during her mourning period.
The decision to keep Benjamin's body was also rooted in logistical challenges. Riley clarified, "It was COVID and the plans to bury him were really unclear. We needed to get to Graceland, and it was really hard because it was COVID, and we didn't know who was going to come, so there was a lot of planning needed to happen." This uncertainty added to the distress of losing her beloved son.
Lisa Marie's memoir also discloses how she and Riley chose to honor Benjamin with matching tattoos. They decided to tattoo Benjamin’s name on the same areas where he had their names inked — on Riley's collarbone and Lisa's hand. There’s humor amid the sorrow, as Riley recounted the strange moment of bringing their tattoo artist to see Benjamin’s body to get the placement just right. "It's one of the most absurd moments of my life," she recalled. "But it also shows how closely knit our relationship was, even after his death. He had our names, and we wanted to carry him with us."
Benjamin's name tattooed on his family reflects their enduring bond, even through mourning. Riley mentioned feeling like they had to let go and bury Benjamin when they sensed he didn't want his body to remain at their home any longer.
Eventually, the family chose to permanently lay Benjamin to rest at Graceland, beside his grandfather. This resting place holds both sentimental and iconic significance for the Presley family, weaving together threads of legacy, love, and loss. Lisa Marie's final resting place also found its way alongside Benjamin at Graceland following her death.
Lisa Marie’s grief over Benjamin’s death was palpable, and her expressions of sorrow echoed the same loss she felt after losing her father. "The depth of the pain is suffocathing and bottomless without you every moment of every day. I will never be the same," she wrote poignantly, emphasizing the irrevocable change grief instilled within her life.
Riley noted how after her mother’s passing, Lisa Marie had often expressed feelings of impending mortality, reflecting on how closely she felt to her son. "She would say, 'I'm going to die of a broken heart,' and I think we felt it. It was something I couldn't process or understand until I went through it personally. It was almost like we were both living on borrowed time after Benjamin left us," she shared.
The memoir paints Lisa Marie not just as Elvis Presley's daughter, but as a mother who deeply loved her son and dared to challenge societal norms, even at the cost of personal judgment. Riley articulated how her mother managed to encapsulate all of her emotions inside her words, paving the way for future generations to learn from their pains and experiences. "She put her heart out there, and it explained so much about who she was," Riley stated.
Lisa Marie's life, marked by struggles and triumphs, mirrors the complexity of motherhood, fame, and heartache. The emotional weight she carried after Benjamin’s tragic passing extends beyond her family, touching on universal themes of loss and the relentless passage of time. Lisa Marie's story is one of resilience amid grievances, urging us to reflect on the depth of our connections with loved ones, cherishing moments shared before they become memories.
Through this memoir, we not only gain insightInto Lisa Marie’s life but also witness the rawness of grief, making it all the more relatable to those who have faced similar heartaches. Her words continue to resonate with many, rendering her not only as part of music royalty but as a relatable figure grappling with life's harsh realities.