But now, "Elvis" (in theaters) strives to humanize the legendary singer beyond his musical abilities. Theyre killing me." Here's his response. Here's why. Put simply, the strain of attempting to defecate compressed the singer's abdominal aorta, shutting down his heart.". He was trying to function within his reality., Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. (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. Nick, was at Elvis beck and call for nearly a decade. 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. Exactly what caused Elvis Presley's death remains shrouded in mystery. Manly adds the objectification of Elvis also played a role in this mistreatment: not only was he used as a "moneymaking machine" by power-hungry leadersin the industry, but he was also sexualized and reduced toan image by his youngfemalefans. Kirk shared that despite Presley's fame and fortune, he was often lonely. Dr. Howard Markel writes a monthly column for the PBS NewsHour, highlighting momentous historical events that continue to shape modern medicine. 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. His twin brother Jessie wasstillborn, saidbiography.com. Elvis at the end of his life had more issues than the biopic cared to admit. 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. Psychologists say efforts to reimagine celebrities as more than their stardomand wealth succeed in destigmatizing and humanizingthe mental health conversation. And rather than being shownempathy, he was mocked by the country that lifted him onto the pedestal. The autopsy showed that Elvis was massively obese, had extensive plaques in his arteries and had a very enlarged heart. Elvis actually died a death that is quite common, albeit an embarrassing one. 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. 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. "In 1956 they didn't understand that these pills could become addictive. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Dr. Howard Markel Therefore, you should be happy. Two-year-old Elvis with his parents Vernon and Gladys Presley in 1937 in Tupelo, Mississippi. 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. 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 wasborn inTupelo,Mississippi, on Jan.8, 1935. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Here is what you need to know about Elvis' death, declining health and other aspects of his life. While the world at large saw Elvis as the man who had it all, Letitia known to those around Elvis as "Tish" had a private window into his personal struggles. Get a daily dose of showbiz gossip direct to your inbox. He missed Priscilla. Sally A. Hoedel wrote a book about Elvis Presley's health history that was published in 2020 titled Elvis: Destined to Die Young. Well, that's not true. 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. If you're depressed,go see a therapistor check yourself into rehab if you need to. He had all these metabolic defects due to his genetics, and so the codeine built up in his system. For fans of rock and roll everywhere, the King's death was a monumental blow. Elvis Presley's greatest songs: 20 essential cuts you need to hear now Review: The 10 best (and the absolute worst) Elvis movies, ranked Elvis' health problems, explained. Vernon Presley and Elvis Presley on stage during a concert recorded on June 19, 1977, in Omaha, Nebraska. He was only honest with a few people about it. "So when we see a celebrity altered in any way, we can say 'Oh, see, they faltered,'or 'They're not perfect.' This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, He said: "Id have to classify Elviss death as an accident. "A few speculated and began telling untruths regarding Elvis and me which were completely unwarranted, mean spirited and wrong.". Elvis' last live gig was on June 26, 1977, at the Market Square Arena in Indianapolis to a crowd of 18,000 fans, according to LiveAbout. Most challenging during Elvis' final years was his nonstop schedule of his live performances. They have families to look after. He allegedly told her, "I cant baby, I cant stop right now. Elvis approved of the idea, and the label sent a studio truck to his home. Lisa Marie Presley dies: Elvis Presley's only daughter dies at 54 after a brief hospitalization. When his body was discovered, attempts were made to revive him and his father, Vernon Presley, begged his son not to go. He passed away on Aug. 16 of that year. However, the home recording sessions of 1976 were fruitful, and seemed to inspire a burst of creativity in the King. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, The Presley family in general did not have a good track record for health. Contributions are tax deductible for U.S. taxpayers. 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. "Anytime someone mentions my name and Elvis' name in the same sentence, that's great," he told Rolling Stone. But was the King simply ignoring his well-being, or was he having suicidal thoughts? He spent most of his time holed up in the elaborate den nicknamed the "Jungle Room" for its exotic decor of his Memphis compound Graceland. And he would say, I cant. However, as Presleys body was slowing down, Hoedel said his determination to hit the road endured. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. So when he was sick, he didnt stop as he should have. ", Elvis Presley with his girlfriend Ginger Alden in March 1977 in Hawaii. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. I had a huge painting of Elvis -- a velvet painting he had given me, she said. We and our partners use cookies on this site to improve our service, perform analytics, personalize advertising, measure advertising performance, and remember website preferences. He was disabled, says Dr. Forest Tennant, a retired physician and pain management expert who is one of the last people alive to be intimately familiar with Elvis drug use and medical problems. Learn more about Friends of the NewsHour. At only 42 years of age, initially the cause of his death was reported as a heart attack. Given his pill dependency and excessive weight, some might assume that Elvis spent the day before his death lying in bed eating or doing drugs. These interviews provided us with an extraordinary opportunity to learn about Elvis' health, personal life and legacy. Dan Warlick, chief investigator for the Tennessee Office of the State Chief Medical Examiner, attended the autopsy and fuelled the popular theory that Elvis died while straining to go to the toilet. Thus, he likely died of a massive heart attack and keeled over onto the floor. 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. He was hospitalised again in 1975 with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and a condition called megacolon, whereby the large intestine becomes distended and can allow toxins to flood the body. He was buried on the grounds of Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee. (R.D/Images Press/Getty Images), "Elvis story is long told as one of self-destruction," said Hoedel. Elvis Presley performs during his second appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in 1956. Equally cryptic for some were the parting words the King said as he left the stage: "We'll meet again. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Hoedel writes that Presleys health problems were intertwined with his life story, and he suffered from disease in nine of 11 bodily systems. And you have to remember, this was a time when people really didnt talk about their health like they do now. She has a new book about the King coming out in September. Here's why. But he still sang like The King.. Westmoreland said she was horrified to hear that even in his condition, Presley was already gearing up for another tour. 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. However, another part of thelegacy of the "King of Rock 'n'Roll" is his untimely death. Elvis Presley is seen performing on June 20, 1977. 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. Photo by CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images. (Getty Images). He once said: "Presley's chronic constipation - the result of years of prescription drug abuse and high-fat, high-cholesterol gorging - brought on what's known as Valsalva's maneuver. The singers incredibly unhealthy diet consisting mostly of cheeseburgers and chronic constipation inevitably contributed to these problems. Elvis was a very kind hearted person. 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. ", Review: Austin Butler rules as the King, butBaz Luhrmann's 'Elvis' is an unchained mess. Despite his introverted personality, Presley had immense musical talent. 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. Elvis Presley, who died 44 years ago this month, was not a drug abuser in the typical rocknroll lifestyle sense, a new book claims, but he was medicating to address a series of congenital illnesses. Had he had immediate medical attention, theres a big possibility [he might have lived], she said. 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. LOS ANGELES - It has been widely reported that Elvis Presley died in 1977 from cardiac arrhythmia, an irregular heartbeat, possibly brought on by drug dependency, obesity and a weak heart. The doctor remained by Elvis' side during his drug addiction and where there on the tragic day of his death and claims in an autopsy, stunned medics found a four-month-old stool blocking his gut. (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. His full medical saga has only recently begun to be thoroughly examined. Deeply depressed. And by the 70s, hes an insomniac. Market data provided by Factset. Movies like "Elvis" portraythe star beyond his music to showcase his flaws, dreams and humanity. And that's something that people who have wealth or fame have difficulty getting into.". I have to make payroll, you know? He had such an obligation as a provider. And he does that in the last several years of his life. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Interestingly, the pathologists tested him for immune deficiencies, and found Elvis had hypogammaglobulinemia, a disorder of the body's immune system, as indicated by decreased levels of immunoglobulin A (I g A) and I g G. Rosette formation studies revealed decreased numbers of T cells and B cells (lymphocytes). 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. With aging, drugs, a hefty and unhealthy diet, and a hard lifestyle, health issues increase, which resulted in Elvis's death on a toilet. 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. Moody Blue, released in February 1977, was a mix of live recordings and new studio tracks, containing two of Presley's most widely regarded songs. ", 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. And despite having never smoked, he also suffered from emphysema. If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Did he really fire Colonel Tom Parker onstage in Las Vegas? There, the body identified the matter as foreign and produced antibodies to destroy it, triggering hypogammaglobulinemia, a disorder of the body's immune system. 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. These efforts do not right the wrongs of the past. He didn't "jiggle" nearly as much as most do, nor did his legs or arms look especially fat. Elvis collapsed in the bathroom 24 hours later. Elvis Presley had multiple diseases. "People become agoraphobic. ", "In the end, somebody who has a mental health issue, who is a celebrity, will often have a more difficult time because to really successfully recover from a mental health problem or addiction,you actually need a great deal of humility. 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. 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. We just see whatever we want," Manly says. Prior to his death, Presley was visually no longer the hip-swaying "Elvis the Pelvis" sex symbol. More info. Why would you want to go out and have people staring at you and judging youall the time?" ", Remembering Elvis: Here are his 10 most popular hits. 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. Legal Statement. 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. If you get a severe case like Elvis Presley, your life is going to be very miserable, and you're going to die young unless you get vigorous treatments.. But for Tennant, that wasn't enough to explain the long list of maladies that afflicted the rock star from the late 1960s onwards. The moment came toward the end of the night, just before his closing performance of "Can't Help Falling In Love With You." Britney Spears had her trauma exploited: What it means to finallyhear her side. But the extent of his health problems were not truly understood until after he had passed away. Elvis just fainted.' "And he wasnt honest with everyone about that he was also surrounded with a lot of yes people. Some of the symptoms of this problem include fatigue, fainting spells and high blood pressure. This was especially true during the last year of his life, when he was deep in his chemical dependency and had left behind many of the loyal friends of his youth. [He and Priscilla] continued to be very close via the telephone. After all, how would it look if the rock star who President Richard Nixon awarded a special badge from the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs had died of a drug overdose? This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. At 10 years old, he placed fifth inthe 1945 Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show for a solo performance without musical accompaniment, saidbiography.com. By the time hes touring again in the 70s, he was providing for more than 100 people. Mystery has long surrounded the death of Elvis Presley after his family sealed the results of his autopsy for 50 years. All Rights Reserved. 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 sick man who hid a lot of his weakness to fill concert venues and support his family. needs to stop or at least radically change. His mothers family including three uncles were cursed by early death, the author Sally Hoedel says. Presley was found unresponsive at Graceland. Five of those disease processes, Hoedel finds, were present from birth. I ran upstairs, I go into the bathroom, and Elvis had fell over and was laying on the floor. But certainly back in those days we didn't, Tennant explained. In his opinion, as shared in a 2013 medical paper, when Elvis tripped over a television cord and knocked himself out on the bathtub, the injury was so severe that it caused brain tissue to dislodge and seep into his blood circulation. Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines for July 13, Ed Sheerans wife diagnosed with tumor during pregnancy: Spiraling through depression, Prince Harry describes the rest of his life in five words amid 'Spare' fallout: 'Freedom', Chris Rock plans to address Will Smith Oscar slap in live Netflix special, Prince Harry apology 'demands' from King Charles, Prince William before coronation are 'delusional': experts, Brendan Fraser recalls near-death experience filming 'The Mummy' scene: 'I was choked out', Morgan Evans' dad recalls 'everything' being 'destroyed' in singer's life after Kelsea Ballerini divorce. Elvis Presley with his girlfriend Ginger Alden in March 1977 in Hawaii. 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