Lisa Marie Presley, the only child of Elvis Presley, leaves behind not just her musical heritage but also a legacy marked by personal tragedy and struggles with addiction. Following her early death on January 12, 2023, at the age of 54, the world has come to terms with the pain she faced, amplified by her son Benjamin Keough's tragic death just two years prior. The deep bond between mother and son, marred by grief, has become central to the narrative of her life.
Benjamin, who passed away at age 27 from suicide, played a pivotal role in Lisa Marie's life. According to reports, he was her confidant and seemingly the great love of her life, paralleling the connection Elvis shared with his own mother. Riley Keough, Lisa's daughter, noted, "I had an instinct Ben was the love of my mom's life. They shared a very deep soul bond."
On Benjamin's 32nd birthday, Priscilla Presley, Lisa's mother, paid tribute on Instagram, sharing memories of both her daughter and grandson. This heartfelt remembrance came as part of recognizing the lasting impacts of their untimely deaths. She captioned the post, "You are missed, sweet Ben," which echoed sentiments shared by many fans who also took time to reflect on their memories of him.
Though Lisa Marie's official cause of death was attributed to complications from prior gastric surgery, her daughter Riley suggested the loss of her son significantly impacted her emotional state. According to Riley, her mother often expressed feelings of despair, hinting at her belief she wouldn't survive long after Benjamin's death. "I knew any time I got with her after would be a gift," Riley stated, conveying the heavy reality of watching her mother’s grief deteriorate her health.
A particularly heart-wrenching memory came to light when it was revealed Lisa Marie kept Benjamin's body at their home for two months following his death, as she struggled to cope with the loss. Insiders explained this behavior as stemming from deep denial, with one psychologist stating, "When people are in heavy grief over the death of a loved one, they want to go on as though the person is still around." This heartbreaking choice not only highlights Lisa Marie's emotional state but shines light on the extreme lengths some may go to when faced with unimaginable sorrow.
Even through her struggles with addiction to opioids and the pressures of fame, Lisa Marie kept pushing forward, partially for the sake of her three daughters, including Riley and her younger twins, Harper and Finley. These efforts, described as attempts to display strength, soon faltered as the weight of the tragedies grew heavier.
Riley shared the emotional toll of their family’s battles with addiction, recounting how it felt like constantly being on the edge of devastation. She added, "You live in a place of uncertainty and feeling like you might experience loss all the time." The culmination of these experiences fueled her desire to convey their family's story through Lisa Marie’s posthumous memoir, From Here to the Great Unknown – aimed at capturing their joys and struggles alike, to show depth beyond the tragedies.
Illuminated by her daughter's insights, the memoir unveils shocking revelations not only about addiction but also about abuse Lisa Marie suffered as a child at the hands of her mother’s boyfriend, Michael Edwards. This history of trauma shaped her life, foreshadowing the emotional battles she would later face as she navigated the highs and lows of her own fame and familial responsibilities.
After keeping Benjamin's body at her home, Lisa Marie finally laid him to rest at Graceland, beside her father. Not long after, her own death led to their rejoinment, creating a poignant sense of closure for the family. Although these events are marked by tragedy, Riley aims to highlight positive memories and experiences through her mother’s legacy, balancing the difficult with the joyful, as she stated, "A lot of our life was very happy."
With each shared memory, it becomes clear how intertwined Lisa Marie’s life experiences were with the shadow of her father’s immense legacy and her own battles with pain and absence. Despite the heavy heart they left behind, the love and memories shared among them carry on through Riley, who is determined to celebrate the laughter and joy as much as the hardships. The fight for balancing her family's legacy continues as Riley embarks on book tours, promoting her mother's memoir, ensuring their stories are told with honesty, respect, and love.