An autopsy was carried out that same day but the report was immediately sealed for 50 years by the family, sparking a slew of speculation as to what killed him. During the final months of his life, Elvis Presley was said to be in a lot of physical pain. 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. Savannah Guthrie left the "Today" show during Tuesday's live broadcast amid Hoda Kotb's absence from the NBC morning show. Sally A. Hoedel wrote a book about Elvis Presley's health history that was published in 2020 titled Elvis: Destined to Die Young. 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. What were Elvis Presley's health issues that plagued him during his short life? Popping pills. But in 1976, all three were fired to "cut back on expenses." "Elvis had an incredible work ethic," she explained. He would ask her, "Would you rub my legs? She has a new book about the King coming out in September. Documentary claims Elvis signed his own death certificate, Elvis Presley was found dead on the floor of the bathroom at his Graceland estate, Elvis' body was discovered by his girlfriend Ginger, Elvis' health had deteriorated rapidly over the last decade of his life, Elvis had been a fit young man, but his health suddenly went down hill, A young Elvis pictured in his prime while in the Army. 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. ", WOULD ELVIS PRESLEY SURVIVE CANCEL CULTURE? . When Elvis catapulted into fame with his legendary pompadour and pelvic gyrations, America swooned. At only 42 years of age, initially the cause of his death was reported as a heart attack. 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. Early on, these were heavily pushed by his manager, the infamous "Colonel" Tom Parker, who many believe swindled the naive young Elvis while running him ragged. The touring doesnt help. In fact, Danzig's vocal style is so reminiscent of Presley's that he's earned himself the nickname "Evil Elvis," a title he's happy to accept. Hoedel said Presley was "worried" about his health deteriorating. Instead, she alleged, prescription drugs came from everywhere.. At 10 years old, he placed fifth inthe 1945 Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show for a solo performance without musical accompaniment, saidbiography.com. He would also often say "God, I hurt all over." 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. ", What The Final 12 Months Of Elvis' Life Were Like, a 2019 interview with Elvis' Australian fan club. 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. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. It never came to fruition. "It's more difficult to project onto somebody who's showing their fault lines. Always seek the advice of a physician or healthcare provider for any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Experts say it's common for people to detach celebrities from reality and laugh at them for entertainment and amusement. Within the book Sally revealed that Elvis grandparents were first cousins. 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. In turn, many in Elvis' entourage believed Ginger to be nothing more than a gold-digger. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Why was he in so much pain? I ran upstairs, I go into the bathroom, and Elvis had fell over and was laying on the floor. He needed a full-time nurse and apparently refused to bathe throughout 1975, causing him to develop sores on his body. I think he was awake for three days. Many would later wonder if this was because Elvis knew somewhere deep down that he would never play again and wanted to shout out all of those who made his career possible. He abused antihistamines, tranquilizers such as Valium, barbiturates, Quaaludes, sleeping pills, hormones and laxatives, for the constipation. But was the King simply ignoring his well-being, or was he having suicidal thoughts? He had been known to use "antihistamines, tranquilizers such as Valium, barbiturates, Quaaludes, sleeping pills, hormones and laxatives, for the constipation.". 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. Thus, he likely died of a massive heart attack and keeled over onto the floor. Photo by Fred Ross/Toronto Star via Getty Images, Elvis personal physician, George Nichopoulos, or Dr. Lisa Marie Presley dies: Elvis Presley's only daughter dies at 54 after a brief hospitalization. According to a 1977 review in Alexandria Town Talk, the first show in Alexandria lasted less than an hour before Elvis had to leave the stage. Elvis Presley had multiple diseases. Since he died 45years ago, he has becomethe butt of "fat Elvis" jokes and is still mocked over the circumstances of his death. Elvis. He had back pain, digestive troubles, and eye afflictions, including glaucoma. there was another problem: Elvis Presley's issue with prescription drug abuse. A hint of air expelled from his nose. It takes hours to die from drugs.". Forest believes it all stemmed back to a serious head injury he sustained in 1967 that triggered a progressive autoimmune inflammatory disorder. This manifested most egregiously in March 1977 during two stops in Louisiana. or redistributed. Stephanie Nolasco covers entertainment at Foxnews.com. Most worrisome to his record label, RCA, was that the King had become entirely uninterested in going into the studio and recording. Austin Butler's 'Elvis' acting lessons began when Tom Hanks delivered a typewriter to his door, Netflix's "Blonde," starring Ana de Armas, (Marilyn Monroe)'s public and private selves. The singer, who made teenage girls hysterical with his movie star looks, catchy songs and gyrating. 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. Legal Statement. Among Presleys ailments attributed to his genes were alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency, which can attack the lungs and liver; colon issues; an immune deficiency and lifelong insomnia. 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 Dr. George Nichopoulos, aka "Dr. Nick," traveled with Elvis, and carried three suitcases of pills to make sure he could fulfill any of Elvis' needs. It was hard to be Elvis, no one had done fame like that before, and no one else could do it for him. In November 1976, Elvis split with his girlfriend of four years Linda Thompson, according to The Wrap. It was clear that, from the moment he landed on the floor, Elvis hadnt moved.. Today, Hoedel hopes her book will encourage readers to take a look at the "human" side of Presley, a figure who was put on a pedestal for his talent and then gawked at as he tumbled. ", 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. Copyright 2023 Pain News Network / Terms of Use / Privacy Policy / Advertising / Surveys / Donors. (Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images). A new book by Sally Hoedel argues that the singer was a sick man supporting his family and friends. 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. 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. The King of Rock 'n' Roll shocked prudish 1950s America with his hip swiveling and unprecedented charm and was treated as an icon - until his tragic final years. He passed away on Aug. 16 of that year. The last decade of his life had seen his health take a dramatic nose dive. "The phone rings intercom," said Joe Esposito, foreman of the Memphis Mafia. I gently turned his face toward me. "made with a jars worth of blueberry jam, a jars worth of peanut butter and an entire pound of bacon,", born inTupelo,Mississippi, on Jan.8, 1935, he placed fifth inthe 1945 Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show for a solo performance without musical accompaniment, How 'Elvis' highlights his complicated history with Black music, 45 Elvis events in the 45 years since the death of the King, We're here to help with life's everyday questions, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. "We see that when he tours, he takes more medication than when hes not touring. While some claimed this was because they'd been rough enough with fans to incite lawsuits, others countered that it was due to their criticism of Elvis' drug use. As an adult, one of his favorite meals was a roll stuffed with bacon, peanut butter, and jelly, alongside midnight snacks like hamburgers and deep-fried bread. Here is what you need to know about Elvis' death, declining health and other aspects of his life. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. His official cause of death was listed as cardiac arrhythmia. Here's his response. And driven to continue performing by Colonel Parker and others. But certainly back in those days we didn't, Tennant explained. 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 . Presley knew there was something wrong with him. And he does that in the last several years of his life. 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. Subscribe to Here's the Deal, our politics newsletter. And then it became about his health He achieved the American dream, but he was also human. Elvis Presley died in 1977 aged just 42 and it's long been believed that an unhealthy lifestyle and drug abuse were key factors, but a new book instead points the finger at genetics. He pulled his whole family out of poverty. ", Harry, Meghan, The Rock, Naomi Osaka: Why celebrity mental health struggles matter. Austin Butler stars as the American heartthrob through the years:as a rocking teen who eventually spirals under the crumblingpressureof success, money and power. 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. 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. Three of the Mafia members, David Hebler, Robert "Red" West, and Robert's cousin Sonny West, had acted as Elvis' bodyguards for much of his career. Some of the symptoms of this problem include fatigue, fainting spells and high blood pressure. Pain News Network is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit charity. And I believe the explanation in this book is as close as well get to fully understand what was going on in his life and what led to his death.". Others claimed he'd died from a drug overdose, but when the investigation was reopened in 1994, coroner Joseph Davis disagreed. They had a similar four-year period of degenerative health, and thats interesting because she did not take the same medication as he took.. "So when we see a celebrity altered in any way, we can say 'Oh, see, they faltered,'or 'They're not perfect.' Presley was born inTupelo,Mississippi, on Jan.8, 1935, and died in Memphis, Tennessee, on Aug. 16, 1977. Please check your inbox to confirm. Why the early death? 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. And by the 70s, hes an insomniac. 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. After years of drug abuse, the once lithe star weighed in at 25 stone and had spent months barricaded in his bedroom gorging on platters of cheeseburgers. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. It was huge, and its shag carpeting naturally absorbed ambient sound, although the fake waterfall did have to be turned off. The book alleges that during the second show of that fourth tour, Presley, who was semiconscious, had his head dunked in a bucket of ice water. his hip swiveling and unprecedented charm. His eye was staring straight ahead and blood red.". So what had caused all of these disease processes in his stomach, liver, lungs, heart, spine, eyes and bowel? 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. He also worked really hard to hide it. ", On top of his eating habits, Presley was a long-time user ofopiates, saidPBS. "Hound Dog" is an antique in 2020, but when it first premiered, it was a revolution. Suffering high blood pressure, liver damage, glaucoma and an enlarged colon Presley died of a heart attack in his bathroom, his body pumped full of prescription pills, many administered by Letetia. 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. (Getty Images). Similar to many who found fame in the 60s and 70s, Elvis developed a drug addiction. So when he was sick, he didnt stop as he should have. Elvis Presley collector reveals why the King is more valuable 45 years after his death. ", Remembering Elvis: Here are his 10 most popular hits. In . "[I see it as] a story of survival. According to Kirk, Presley was impressed by the nurse and her country ways. In 1972, he hired her as his nurse, as well as her husband for security. Presley, once a former teen idol, had gained a considerable amount of weight. In the end, he died a lonely man whose ornate home became the embodiment of Heartbreak Hotel., Left: Elvis Presley in concert circa 1977. Elvis just fainted.' Linda Thompson (left) posing with her then-boyfriend Elvis Presley and her parents. 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. found Presleylying unconscious on the floor of the master suite bathroom, The 10 best (and the absolute worst) Elvis movies, ranked. Having studied the psychology behind fan-celebrity relationships for more than 20years, Rockwell says, she hasobserved a growing culture of empathy and compassion from the younger generation. ", "Its been documented that right before he went on his last tour, he had phone conversations with several people where he said, I just dont feel good,'" she shared. 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. 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 collapsed in the bathroom 24 hours later. You can unsubscribe at any time. 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. Learn more about Friends of the NewsHour. Put simply, the strain of attempting to defecate compressed the singer's abdominal aorta, shutting down his heart.". It became a problem, but why was he taking them in the first place?, Dr Nick is a controversial figure. He was a very spiritual person, she explained. the excessive use of drugs had caused serious implications on the singer's health. As a young man Elvis had been extremely fit, playing football and practicing martial arts. ", PAT BOONE RECALLS MEETING PAL ELVIS PRESLEY: 'HE WAS JUST A SCARED YOUNG KID' "Everything with Elvis has to be looked at through a historical lens," Hoedel continued. Austin Butler chats with USA TODAY's Marco Della Cava about starring in Baz Luhrmann's "Elvis" as the title character alongside Tom Hanks. 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. "In the last few years of his life, he was very aware of how ill he was," she said. Market data provided by Factset. 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. Theyre killing me." Its not accurate and its not enough. I saw vulnerability. The music icon passed away nearly 43 years ago, on Aug. 16, 1977, at age 42 from a heart attack, which. Our mission is to raise awareness, connect and educate pain sufferers, caregivers, healthcare providers and the public about the pain experience. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 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. He is the director of the Center for the History of Medicine and the George E. Wantz Distinguished Professor of the History of Medicine at the University of Michigan and the author ofThe Secret of Life: Rosalind Franklin, James Watson, Francis Crick and the Discovery of DNAs Double Helix (W.W. Norton, September 21). The truth is more complex. Therefore, you should be happy. But with his life ended, those who loved him could now remember the man he'd once been, revolutionizing rock music with his energy, charisma, and raw talent. Legal Statement. And hes the head of his whole organization. I gently raised one eyelid. Hodel claimed that Presley continued to use medication to not only provide him relief but also to function. On Aug. 16, 1977, Presley was found unconscious in his Graceland mansion. Early on, these were heavily pushed by his manager, the infamous "Colonel" Tom Parker, who many believe swindled the naive young Elvis while running him ragged. He was trying to function within his reality., Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. But Donna Rockwell, a clinical psychologist specializing in celebrity mental health, says the cultural mockery of imperfect stars speaks to "a part of human nature we're not particularly proud of. (Sally A. Hoedel), For "Elvis: Destined to Die Young," Hoedel said she spoke to numerous sources who knew and befriended Presley over the years, and "had the privilege to see documents that people have not seen and used those for research aspects of this book. The book, "Elvis Presley: A Southern Life," also reported that the autopsy "confirmed what his doctors already knew: Elvis was chronically ill with diabetes, glaucoma, and constipation.". 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. Throughout Elvis' career, he was surrounded by a crew of friends, hangers-on, and enablers that were casually dubbed the "Memphis Mafia." "You always think there was something you could have done, that he might still be alive today. 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. 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. 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. Elvis Presley's Health and Legacy. Westmoreland said she was horrified to hear that even in his condition, Presley was already gearing up for another tour. 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. His health issues were varied but he hid them so well that over-medication is all we remember now, Hoedel says. Britney Spears had her trauma exploited: What it means to finallyhear her side. Elvis Presley with his girlfriend Ginger Alden in March 1977 in Hawaii. In 2020, Glenn Danzig, heavy metal vocalist and frontman of horror-punk act The Misfits, released Danzig Sings Elvis, an album of Elvis covers. I walked over, lifted his chin, and said, Elvis, if you talk to me, you look at me, she said. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 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. "He was not only my patient, but a good friend," Henley later wrote in a book,via Express. Of the distressing scene, Ginger, who was just 21 at the time, wrote in her memoir: His arms lay on the ground, close to his sides, palms facing upward. But the extent of his health problems were not truly understood until after he had passed away. I wish there was something I could have done to make him a happier person. They would try and no way.". Kirk first met Presley in 1968 when she treated him at a Memphis medical clinic for saddle sores, Closer Weekly reported. Appropriation or appreciation? When his body was discovered, attempts were made to revive him and his father, Vernon Presley, begged his son not to go. Elvis Presley's former private nurse Letetia Henley Kirk has had the King on her mind. ", "We don't want celebrities to actually have that picture-perfect life. When Elvis asked for sleeping pills during his final hours, it was she who told his private doctor where to find them, and she regrets not being there as he died. Most challenging during Elvis' final years was his nonstop schedule of his live performances. And theres evidence of that time and time again. Thus, he likely died of a massive heart. If Presley werealive today, he would be 88. Dr. Nick admitted at a hearing before the Tennessee Board of Health that he had prescribed thousands of doses of various addictive pills for Elvis but also claimed he often slipped him sugar pills, or placebos, to try to control his addictions. (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images), The fifth tour of the year, comprised of 10 cities, 10 shows in 10 days, began on June 17 and ended on June 26. He allegedly told her, "I cant baby, I cant stop right now. A man holds newspaper announcing his death. It was there, in October 1976, that Elvis recorded his final studio sessions, resulting in some of his most memorable and emotionally crushing material to date. At his last concert, which took place in Indiana, Presley was quoted as saying, "My body really hurts, but no matter what Im going out there tonight and giving everything I have no matter what." Instead of rushing an unconscious Elvis to a hospital, manager Tom Parker --- played by a surprisingly villainous Tom Hanks -- declares that the show must go on and summons Dr. Three of his uncles died of heart, kidney and liver issues in their 40a and early 50s. When critics and fans describe Elvis in his later years, one term used is "Fat Elvis." He was not only my patient but a good friend., LIBERACE TOLD ELVIS PRESLEY HE NEEDED MORE GLITZ IN HIS SHOWS BEFORE LAS VEGAS TRANSFORMATION, BOOK CLAIMS, Elvis Presley in his final years. Elvis had divorced his wife Priscilla Presley in 1973, and developed a dependence on prescription drugs to get through the day, all while maintaining a grueling schedule. Only 42 years of his health take a dramatic nose dive Destined to Die Young & # x27 s. 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