They have families to look after. (R.D/Images Press/Getty Images), "Elvis story is long told as one of self-destruction," said Hoedel. Here's why. After the trial, Tennant remained curious about Elvis medical problems and continued his research while treating people with intractable pain. (Red had known the singer since the '50s.) Legal Statement. The problem became alarming especially during his last decade of life. He said he has made it a point to ask every one of his patients about possible head trauma, and noted that . "If it had been a drug overdose, [Elvis] would have slipped into an increasing state of slumber. Equally cryptic for some were the parting words the King said as he left the stage: "We'll meet again. In November 1976, Elvis split with his girlfriend of four years Linda Thompson, according to The Wrap. Treatments for these conditions put Elvis in the hospital several times between 1973 and his death four years later. He gave his rings to his fans during concerts. By examining his flaws and health issues, maybe we can start to see his humanity again.. Westmoreland said she was horrified to hear that even in his condition, Presley was already gearing up for another tour. "Elvis was a strong individual," stepbrother Billy Stanley reflected. Presleys forebears may have made marriage choices because of poverty and proximity, but Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt married to keep wealth in the family. "Elvis had an incredible work ethic," she explained. He paid strangers hospital bills if he heard they were poor. So when he was sick, he didnt stop as he should have. 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. His health issues were varied but he hid them so well that over-medication is all we remember now, Hoedel says. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. He had weaknesses. 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. 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 knew he was not going to be able to perform like he wanted to., We shared many hours together, she continued. If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). 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. "The phone rings intercom," said Joe Esposito, foreman of the Memphis Mafia. He turned to food for comfort and had gained a considerable amount of weight. However, another part of thelegacy of the "King of Rock 'n'Roll" is his untimely death. By 1977, Elvis had lost all interest in recording new music. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! 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. During many shows, the audience wouldn't be able to understand what he was saying, and he would often leave the stage early, unable to continue. ", In the book, Hoedel described how Presley would confide in backup singer Kathy Westmoreland and said his "eyes were a constant source of pain along with other ailments." A diagnostic screening tool for EDS didnt exist when Elvis was alive and few physicians were even aware of the condition. 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. I asked Dr. Tennant how we could use Elvis' predicament to help others in pain. FORMER WIFE PRISCILLA WEIGHS IN, Vernon Presley and Elvis Presley on stage during a concert recorded on June 19, 1977, in Omaha, Nebraska. His excuse for throwing all these high-octane drugs around? The painkillers Presley used are believed to have contributed to his severeconstipation. 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 . We didnt have the empathy to talk about Elvis health problems then. We don't know what their fears are, what their hopes are, what their dreams are, what their sadness is. 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. He pulled his whole family out of poverty. Why was he in so much pain? "If Dr. Forrest Torrent is right, there simply wasnt a proper understanding back then in determining what really killed the King of Rock & Roll. 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. "[Those health] issues become more difficult to live with the more he tours, and he toured a great deal in those last several years. 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. And that's something that people who have wealth or fame have difficulty getting into.". The pressure to perform, the loss of privacy and the incessant public scrutinycan also cause anxiety and depression leaving some to cope with medications, alcohol or other substances to reduce stress. "It's more difficult to project onto somebody who's showing their fault lines. … We really aren't happy for them, because we want that life, too, and we can't get it," Rockwell says. The music icon passed away nearly 43 years ago, on Aug. 16, 1977, at age 42 from a heart attack, which doctors said was likely brought on by his addiction to prescription barbiturates. 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. 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. 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. During the autopsy it became clear that Elvis did in fact have multiple heart problems, including a strained aorta and atherosclerosis. His manager, Colonel Tom Parker allegedly shouted, "The only thing thats important is that hes on that stage tonight! (Aug. 16), fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches, died in Memphis, Tennessee, on Aug. 16, 1977, Elvis Presley's only daughter dies at 54 after a brief hospitalization, 'Elvis' is onefried peanut butter and banana sandwich of a movie, tasty but overstuffed. 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. Elvis was a very kind hearted person. What about now? Either way, not only do BPD parents often. Here's why. And then it became about his health He achieved the American dream, but he was also human. The moment came toward the end of the night, just before his closing performance of "Can't Help Falling In Love With You." Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. According to LiveAbout.com, Elvis became dependent on several different types of prescription drugs, specifically amphetamines to keep him awake and barbiturates to help him sleep or relax. Dr. Nick testified he gave into all of Elviss prescription requests because he wanted to keep Presley from seeking out these drugs on the street.. 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They really tried to push Elvis beyond his capacity in the last few years of his life. Well, that's not true. 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. It became a problem, but why was he taking them in the first place?, Dr Nick is a controversial figure. Theres a scene towards the end of the new Elvis movie when you know the end is coming soon. Movies like "Elvis" portraythe star beyond his music to showcase his flaws, dreams and humanity. According to the New York Daily News, by the end of his life Elvis was consuming enough calories to feed several people every day. In an exclusive interview with Elvis cousin Annie Presley, it was revealed that as a toddler Elvis had needed help clearing his bowels. 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.". Prior to his death, Presleywas visually no longer thehip-swayingElvis the Pelvis sex symbol. 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. ", Even Tish lives with pain surrounding Elvis' death, which she said came as "a complete shock" to her. More: Austin Butler's 'Elvis' acting lessons began when Tom Hanks delivered a typewriter to his door. Lisa Marie Presley dies: Elvis Presley's only daughter dies at 54 after a brief hospitalization. ELVIS PRESLEY'S CO-STAR IRENE TSU RECALLS BEFRIENDING THE KING ON SET: 'HE WAS VERY GENEROUS AND CARING', Elvis Presley during a performance at NBC Studios in Burbank, CA. The 78-year-old recalled how Presley would look down as the doctors spoke with him. 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. The truth is more complex. His friends kept pimping him with pretty 17- and 18-year-old girls but he had nothing in common with them. Now The King's cousin has shared specific . 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. 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. However, the home recording sessions of 1976 were fruitful, and seemed to inspire a burst of creativity in the King. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. And by the 70s, hes an insomniac. As someone who loves this struggling individual, the young woman started to become concerned with her lover's health as it rapidly declined. 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. ", WOULD ELVIS PRESLEY SURVIVE CANCEL CULTURE? Pain News Network is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit charity. 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 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.". Market data provided by Factset. Evidence from the official autopsy, medical professionals and Sallys book all point to the same thing, that Elvis had serious health issues long before his death in 1977. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 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. Elvisembodied modern American youth and rock 'n'roll, changingthe course of popular music with his songs, dance moves, charisma and wardrobe. Hoedel writes that Presleys health problems were intertwined with his life story, and he suffered from disease in nine of 11 bodily systems. No one was going to question him. The singer had developed a dangerous dependence on prescription drugs and turned to overeating. Elvis' passing is often used as the archetypal rock star death a tragic accident caused by a poor health and drug use. And yet, when Elvis died on August 16, 1977, he had become something entirely different from his former self. 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. Market data provided by Factset. 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. 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. The drugs included uppers, downers, and powerful painkillers such as Dilaudid, Quaalude, Percodan, Demerol, and cocaine hydrochloride in quantities more appropriate for those terminally ill with cancer.". 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