The news of Lisa Marie Presley’s sudden passing in 2023 left many in shock and sorrow. Just two days before her death, she had made an appearance at the Golden Globe Awards, looking frail and struggling to speak.
Fans who had watched the event couldn’t help but notice the subtle signs of weakness in her, wondering what might have been going on behind the scenes. What they didn’t know was that Lisa Marie had endured unimaginable pain, having lost her son just three years earlier.
At 54 years old, Lisa Marie was not just the daughter of the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, but also a singer, songwriter, and a loving mother. During her appearance at the Golden Globes, she was there in support of Austin Butler, the actor who portrayed her father in the movie Elvis.
She praised Butler for capturing her father’s essence with a performance that was “accurate” and “spot-on.” She also appreciated how the film respected her father’s legacy, avoiding any mockery of his artistic spirit.
Yet, the concern about Lisa Marie’s health lingered in the air. Fans could see that she wasn’t her usual self. Her frailty was evident as she clung to her longtime friend Jerry Schilling’s arm, moving slowly through the event.
Even as she smiled and chatted with those around her, the grief of her son Benjamin’s tragic death in 2020 weighed heavily on her heart. Lisa Marie had always been open about her struggles and the pain of losing her son to suicide. It was a grief she carried every single day.
The Golden Globe night itself was emotional for Lisa Marie and her mother, Priscilla Presley. As Austin Butler gave his heartfelt speech, thanking them for welcoming him into their lives during the filming of Elvis, both Lisa Marie and Priscilla were overcome with emotion.
Butler ended his speech with, “I love you forever,” and the tears flowed freely from mother and daughter.
After losing Benjamin, Lisa Marie wrote a heartfelt tribute to him on what would have been his birthday in 2020. In her tribute, she expressed how the grief had suffocated her. She admitted that the pain of losing her eldest son was more than she could have ever imagined.
She even spoke about how difficult it was to find the strength to continue living, but that for her daughters, she had to keep going. She wrote, “Please wait for me, my love, and hold my hand while I stay to continue to protect and raise your little sisters and to be here for Riley.”
Despite the excruciating sorrow, Lisa Marie knew her son would have wanted her to protect his sisters and continue being there for her family.
The heartbreak Lisa Marie experienced after Benjamin’s death was something that would stay with her forever. In one of her most poignant writings about grief, she admitted how terrified she had been of losing a child. She had known people who had suffered such a loss but had always kept a distance because it was her worst fear.
But when she found herself living that nightmare, she realized just how much pain could be endured. “I never wish this pain on anyone,” she wrote. “It is suffocating, and you can’t breathe through it.”
Despite all the heartbreak, Lisa Marie did her best to keep going for her daughters. She found strength in them, and she believed her son’s spirit was always with her. She saw him in the way her daughters cherished his memory and talked about him. Every day without Benjamin was a challenge, but Lisa Marie kept pushing forward, doing her best to raise her daughters and keep them close.
Lisa Marie was deeply connected to her children, and it showed in everything she did. On social media, she often shared snapshots of her life with them, like one special Christmas moment where she and her daughters watched the Nutcracker ballet together.
Her love for her family was always on display. She would often say that her birthday wouldn’t have been the same without her three girls by her side. They were her world.
Her daughter Riley, too, cherished her memories of Benjamin. On the anniversary of his death, Riley shared a throwback photo of her and Benjamin as children, sitting together on a swing. It was a way to keep his memory alive and honor the sibling bond they shared.
Throughout all the grief, Lisa Marie was fortunate to have the support of her mother, Priscilla, and her grandmother, who both lived long lives. In 2015, she posted a photo of the three generations of women in her family, showing how close they were.
Riley also shared another family photo with Benjamin from an Easter celebration. It was clear that despite all the losses, the Presley family remained a strong, supportive unit.
Lisa Marie’s death shocked everyone, especially since she had just made her public appearance at the Golden Globes. Just two days after that, she tragically passed away due to cardiac arrest. It was a heartbreaking twist of fate, especially considering that her father, Elvis Presley, had also passed away prematurely due to heart failure.
Lisa Marie had been just nine years old when she lost her father. She vividly remembered their last moment together: it was the night of August 16, when Elvis found her in bed and told her to go to sleep. Lisa Marie had replied, “Okay.” Elvis tucked her in, kissed her goodnight, and that was the last time she ever saw him.
For Lisa Marie, losing Benjamin brought back all the pain of losing her father, but in an even more profound way. She once shared how the death of her son felt like the worst possible kind of grief. “Losing Benjamin was a pain I never thought I’d have to face,” she wrote.
So fortunate 2 have my Mother AND My Grandmother still w me. Such inspiring and strong women, Happy Mothers Day:) xo pic.twitter.com/mxzLttHDHu
— Lisa Marie Presley (@LisaPresley) May 10, 2015
“But the love I had for him, and the love I have for my daughters, is what keeps me going. I know he’s with me, in every little moment we shared.”
Lisa Marie Presley’s death marked the end of a chapter in the Presley family story. But the love and memories she created with her children, and the way she carried the legacy of her father, will continue to live on. She was a mother, a daughter, and a woman who had faced unimaginable pain with strength and grace.
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