After a quick injection of stimulant drugs, Elvis recovers just enough to sing, dance and entertain an adoring crowd in a packed showroom. He wanted a companion, but it was difficult for someone of his stature.. Hoedel claimed that those who knew Presley were worried about how much physical anguish and stress he was enduring to keep up with a non-stop schedule. I saw vulnerability. The outlet noted that during the last two years of his life, Presley made erratic stage appearances and lived nearly as a recluse. It was huge, and its shag carpeting naturally absorbed ambient sound, although the fake waterfall did have to be turned off. ", Review: Austin Butler rules as the King, butBaz Luhrmann's 'Elvis' is an unchained mess. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. No one was going to question him. At the time, little was understood about auto-immune conditions, but these days they are known to cause most of the symptoms Elvis displayed, from chronic pain, irrational behaviour, obesity and enlarged and diseased organs like hearts and bowels. Within the book Sally revealed that Elvis grandparents were first cousins. 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. 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. Sally A. Hoedel wrote a book about Elvis Presley's health history that was published in 2020 titled Elvis: Destined to Die Young. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/elvis-addiction-was-the-perfect-prescription-for-an-early-death. ", "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 theres evidence of that time and time again. 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. 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.". "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. Aside from"Elvis," newretellings like Netflix's "Blonde," starring Ana de Armas,"explore the widening split between (Marilyn Monroe)'s public and private selves.". 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. Elvis actually died a death that is quite common, albeit an embarrassing one. He knew he was not going to be able to perform like he wanted to., We shared many hours together, she continued. Elvis Presleys former private nurse Letetia Henley Kirk has had the King on her mind. 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. Elvis Presley performs during his second appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in 1956. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Deeply depressed. 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. And we love tocriticize the celebrity to bring them back down to our level. He was terribly ill, and he died accidentally in some ways with a dentist giving him codeine for his bad tooth, and his bad teeth were also part of the same disease that gave him a bad colon and a bad eye and a bad liver. A hint of air expelled from his nose. 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. It was a time when Presleys daughter Lisa Marie Presley, as a child, came to visit Graceland. The pressure to perform, the loss of privacy and the incessant public. ", In Ginger's mind, these opinions were unfair stones cast by her fiance's cronies. Presleys physician, George Nichopoulos, or "Dr. Nick," said Presley "suffered from chronic pain from degenerative problems in his back and neck as a result of severe arthritis. When critics and fans describe Elvis in his later years, one term used is "Fat Elvis." 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." ", Why mental health is 'personal' for the singer, actress, Why celebrity mental health struggles matter, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. "People think: Oh, you're a star or you have money. 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 last seen alive going into the bathroom to read. He passed away on Aug. 16 of that year. But according to "Elvis," overwhelming demand from fans played a part in his fall. Once there, doctors struggled to revive him without success and Presley was pronounced dead at 3:30 pm. 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. 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. During the autopsy it became clear that Elvis did in fact have multiple heart problems, including a strained aorta and atherosclerosis. He would have pulled up his pajama bottoms and crawled to the door to seek help. 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. While many of Elvis' loyal fans refused the buy the biography upon its initial release in May 1977 in the UK and late July in the US the King's death soon thereafter, and the revelation that many of the book's stories were painfully accurate, turned it into one of the most successful Elvis books of all time. 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. "He was miserable. 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. Had he had immediate medical attention, theres a big possibility [he might have lived], she said. Elvis Presley performs in concert during his 'Aloha From Hawaii' 1972 television special. 'I couldn't be an imposter': How Austin Butler vanished into the role of Elvis Presley. ", 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. This biographical musical drama chronicles the rock legend's rise to stardom, marriage toPriscilla Presley and overall legacy. Hugely overweight, his mind dulled by the pharmacopeia he daily ingested, he was barely able to pull himself through his abbreviated concerts.". She has a new book about the King coming out in September. He abused antihistamines, tranquilizers such as Valium, barbiturates, Quaaludes, sleeping pills, hormones and laxatives, for the constipation. His excuse for throwing all these high-octane drugs around? The other two pathologists Muirhead and Florredo eventually revealed they also had found evidence of severe and chronic constipation, diabetes, and glaucoma during their examination. Presleys forebears may have made marriage choices because of poverty and proximity, but Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt married to keep wealth in the family. Here's his response. I asked Dr. Tennant how we could use Elvis' predicament to help others in pain. He needed a full-time nurse and apparently refused to bathe throughout 1975, causing him to develop sores on his body. His hip-swinging antics might seem tame to today's audiences, but when he first emerged as a pop star, Elvis introduced millions to rock's inherent sexuality. 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. He pitched forward onto the carpet, his rear in the air, and was dead by the time he hit the floor. He didn't "jiggle" nearly as much as most do, nor did his legs or arms look especially fat. All rights reserved. Forest believes it all stemmed back to a serious head injury he sustained in 1967 that triggered a progressive autoimmune inflammatory disorder. It was hard to be Elvis, no one had done fame like that before, and no one else could do it for him. Prior to his death, Presleywas visually no longer thehip-swayingElvis the Pelvis sex symbol. 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. (R.D/Images Press/Getty Images), "Elvis story is long told as one of self-destruction," said Hoedel. His mothers family including three uncles were cursed by early death, the author Sally Hoedel says. 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. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. (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. … We really aren't happy for them, because we want that life, too, and we can't get it," Rockwell says. They have families to look after. He was terribly ill, and he died accidentally in some ways with a dentist giving him codeine for his bad tooth, and his bad teeth were also part of the same disease that gave him a bad colon and a bad eye and a bad liver. (Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images). Kirk said Presley attempted to find solace in reading the Bible, but the loneliness didnt leave him. And there's your clue "swollen" Elvis was retaining water big time at the time of his death. Here is what you need to know about Elvis' death, declining health and other aspects of his life. He had a private doctor who would prescribe him any pill he asked for, according to a People Magazine storyshortly after his death. They show a tired and very sick man, aged beyond his years and sweating profusely. By then, he and his wife Priscilla Presley had separated. 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. 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. What were Elvis Presley's health issues that plagued him during his short life? Therefore, you should be happy. Mourners stayed all night outside Graceland, where 42-year-old Elvis Presley died. Please check your inbox to confirm. But was the King simply ignoring his well-being, or was he having suicidal thoughts? You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! (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. Hoedel, an historian, claims it was not a coincidence, that Presleys mother, Gladys, died at 46 and Presley at 42. They don't want to go out. "In the last few years of his life, he was very aware of how ill he was," she said. As a young man Elvis had been extremely fit, playing football and practicing martial arts. He says, Im sick, I dont feel good, but I cant stop because everybody is relying on me., Hoedel believes Presley was not a drug addict looking to escape reality. It's more difficult to project onto that person that idealof perfection.". Repeated head trauma can cause an autoimmune inflammatory disorder that can then attack any organ in the body. Elvis did indeed suffer from heart problems aggravated by an excessive use of drugs, but Tennant believes the ultimate cause of his death was a connective tissue disorder called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), a major cause of intractable pain and other chronic health problems. 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 respiratory distress, marked swelling of his face, distended abdomen, constipation, a gastric, bleeding ulcer and hepatitis. The last decade of his life had seen his health take a dramatic nose dive. By the time hes touring again in the 70s, he was providing for more than 100 people. 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