Elvis Presley performs in concert during his 'Aloha From Hawaii' 1972 television special. 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. On Aug. 16, 1977, Presley was found unconscious in his Graceland mansion. The King of Rock 'n'Rollshocked prudish 1950s America with his hip swiveling and unprecedented charmandwas treated as an icon untilhistragic final years. The painkillers Presley used are believed to have contributed to his severeconstipation. needs to stop or at least radically change. His friends kept pimping him with pretty 17- and 18-year-old girls but he had nothing in common with them. He passed away on Aug. 16 of that year. They were all connected. (Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images). 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. We and our partners use cookies on this site to improve our service, perform analytics, personalize advertising, measure advertising performance, and remember website preferences. More info. Popping pills. 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. That same year, Presley became involved with 1972s Miss Tennessee Linda Thompson. his hip swiveling and unprecedented charm. Elvis actually died a death that is quite common, albeit an embarrassing one. He also worked really hard to hide it. The toxicology report from Elvis' death said he had the opiates Dilaudid, Demerol, and Percodan in his blood, not to mention Quaaludes and codeine. 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. Everyones relying on me. Sally A. Hoedel wrote a book about Elvis Presley's health history that was published in 2020 titled Elvis: Destined to Die Young. And he does that in the last several years of his life. If we can strip away the negative connotations, and then look at the consequences, theres a lot of truth to be uncovered, Hoedel says. Elvis. Experts say it's crucial to treat stars with empathy and compassion, rather than ridicule. 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. It was huge, and its shag carpeting naturally absorbed ambient sound, although the fake waterfall did have to be turned off. But Tennant thinks Presley had all the symptoms of EDS, including an unusual degree of flexibility and double jointness that allowed him to swing his hips and gyrate wildly. But even more shocking and strange might be the sheer amount of activity undertaken by the King in the hours before he passed away. 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. By 1976, Elvis had become disenfranchised and unhinged, his drug use, bad health, and financial excess chipping away at his composure. These interviews provided us with an extraordinary opportunity to learn about Elvis' health, personal life and legacy. 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. I wish there was something I could have done to make him a happier person. Learn more about Friends of the NewsHour. They would try and no way.". What were Elvis Presley's health issues that plagued him during his short life? Elvis was a sick man who hid a lot of his weakness to fill concert venues and support his family. Really he looked disproportionate a big swollen torso and face, with relatively slim arms and legs. 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. Once he strayed from his picture-perfect, seductiveimage, someridiculed and discardedhim. In 2020, Glenn Danzig, heavy metal vocalist and frontman of horror-punk act The Misfits, released Danzig Sings Elvis, an album of Elvis covers. Looking back at her past, she said theres one memory that still vividly sticks out. He would pass away that same year. 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 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). Prior to his death, Presley was visually no longer the hip-swaying "Elvis the Pelvis" sex symbol. Dr. The truth is more complex. 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. 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., Doctors still argue about this princes early death, How a serious illness gave Eugene ONeill his dark literary power. Instead, she alleged, prescription drugs came from everywhere.. 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. It was hard to be Elvis, no one had done fame like that before, and no one else could do it for him. Elvis had a way of getting what he wanted, said Kirk. Presley knew there was something wrong with him. So when he was sick, he didnt stop as he should have. Some experts agree Elvis may have been performing at a feverish pace to meet fans' demands at the expense of his well-being. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! 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. Review: 'Elvis' is onefried peanut butter and banana sandwich of a movie, tasty but overstuffed. Hugely overweight, his mind dulled by the pharmacopeia he daily ingested, he was barely able to pull himself through his abbreviated concerts.". Priscilla pointed out that Elvis had written a note to friend and "Memphis Mafia" member Joe Esposito, which stated, "I'm sick and tired of my life. The maids were like family. As detailed in the documentary Elvis Presley: The Last 24 Hours, Elvis' final day on earth included a nighttime trip to the dentist in search of prescription drugs, a 4 a.m. game of racquetball with his cousin Billy Smith, and an impromptu piano performance of classics including "Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain." Vernon Presley and Elvis Presley on stage during a concert recorded on June 19, 1977, in Omaha, Nebraska. This can lead to constipation which the star was famously trying to rid when he passed away. How 'Elvis' highlights his complicated history with Black music, A year-by-year look: 45 Elvis events in the 45 years since the death of the King, Just Curious:We're here to help with life's everyday questions, The "King of Rock 'n' Roll," Elvis Presley, died at his Graceland home in Memphis, Tennessee, aged just 42. 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. But by 1976, Elvis wasn't just getting his uppers and downers from his manager. (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. 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.". In her book Elvis: Destined To Die Young, Sally revealed that Elvis suffered from diseases in nine of the 11 bodily systems. The gang held various roles, from sounding boards for Presley's personal problems to helping him wade through crowds of rabid fans. 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 . "Its hard for us to imagine [that he was in physical pain] because he once appeared so perfect on the outside that he couldn't have been flawed on the inside," author Sally A. Hoedel told Fox News Digital. As a young man Elvis had been extremely fit, playing football and practicing martial arts. "Hound Dog" is an antique in 2020, but when it first premiered, it was a revolution. Opening up about the tragic loss of his pal, the medical professional released a tell-all book; "The King and Dr. Nick" about his time with Elvis. He was trying to function within his reality., Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. He . Elvis Presley had multiple diseases. Psychologists say efforts to reimagine celebrities as more than their stardomand wealth succeed in destigmatizing and humanizingthe mental health conversation. Later that afternoon, a team of pathologists, Drs. As Elvis Presley embarked on a grueling tour, he was concerned about his health, Sally A. Hoedel claimed. His access to medications was overwhelming, she claimed. If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). All rights reserved. The tip of his tongue was clenched between his teeth and his face was blotchy. And in 2016 Garry Rodgers, a retired homicide detective and forensic coroner, told the Huffington Post that with those findings in mind, he would have attributed Elvis' death to a heart attack caused by heart disease and drug use caused by an autoimmune disease which was sparked by a brain injury. Elviss story is looked on as one of destruction, but it is a futile struggle to survive, through poverty and then through health issues, she says. Elvis Presley died at 42 years oldon Aug. 16, 1977, in Memphis, Tennessee. He knew he was not going to be able to perform like he wanted to., We shared many hours together, she continued. He would pass away that same year. But when one looks at the last 12 months of Elvis' life, it becomes clear that the truth behind the King Of Rock And Roll's death might have been even stranger than the rumors people spread about him. As early as 1973, the year he divorced his first wife Priscilla, his health was already failing. 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