With aging, drugs, a hefty and unhealthy diet, and a hard lifestyle, health issues increase, which resulted in Elvis's death on a toilet. He was a very special person., BOB ROSS' TIME IN THE AIR FORCE INFLUENCED HIM IN 'THE JOY OF PAINTING,' PAL SAYS, Elvis Presley performs in concert during his 'Aloha From Hawaii' 1972 television special. 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. It was clear that, from the moment he landed on the floor, Elvis hadnt moved.. (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. Today, Hoedel hopes her book will encourage readers to take a look at the "human" side of Presley, a figure who was put on a pedestal for his talent and then gawked at as he tumbled. (According to the medical examiner's report,the singer died of hypertensive cardiovascular disease at 42.). It became a problem, but why was he taking them in the first place?, Dr Nick is a controversial figure. A hint of air expelled from his nose. Elvis Presley has become synonymous with many things, such asrock 'n'roll and fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches. Experts say it's common for people to detach celebrities from reality and laugh at them for entertainment and amusement. 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. Five of those disease processes, Hoedel finds, were present from birth. Elvis grew up in a loving family with not much money. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. "Formerly retired . In fact, Danzig's vocal style is so reminiscent of Presley's that he's earned himself the nickname "Evil Elvis," a title he's happy to accept. But especially in his later years, he developed a range of phobias and obsessions, had trouble sleeping and gradually relied on drugs to get through the day. "It doesn't get better than that. He was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 3:30 p.m. We didnt have the empathy to talk about Elvis health problems then. In Rees Quinn's biography Elvis, writer Tony Scherman is quoted as saying that by early '77 "Presley had become a grotesque caricature of his sleek, energetic former self. And theres evidence of that time and time again. Really he looked disproportionate a big swollen torso and face, with relatively slim arms and legs. But on this day 41 years ago, millions of music lovers wept to the news that Elvis Presley, the King of Rock n Roll, was dead. Later that afternoon, a team of pathologists, Drs. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. ", Elvis Presley with his girlfriend Ginger Alden in March 1977 in Hawaii. 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. 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. (Getty Images). Elvis Presley is seen performing on June 20, 1977. The singers incredibly unhealthy diet consisting mostly of cheeseburgers and chronic constipation inevitably contributed to these problems. Presley was born inTupelo,Mississippi, on Jan.8, 1935, and died in Memphis, Tennessee, on Aug. 16, 1977. 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. To this day, conflicting speculationssurroundElvis' death. (Reuters), '70S ROCK PIONEER SUZI QUATRO SAYS SHE WAS NEVER TEMPTED BY FAME: 'YOU EITHER GO MAD OR WIND UP DEAD', Kirk said she kept her stories about Presley private for 38 years before she decided to revisit them in her 2015 self-published memoir Taking Care of Elvis.. Three of the Mafia members, David Hebler, Robert "Red" West, and Robert's cousin Sonny West, had acted as Elvis' bodyguards for much of his career. ", ELVIS PRESLEYS PRIVATE NURSE EXPLAINS WHY THE KING WAS 'MISERABLE' DURING HIS FINAL YEARS, As Elvis Presley embarked on a grueling tour, he was concerned about his health, Sally A. Hoedel claimed. "I realized this man was as iconic as they come, and yet he of course was a human being, sensitive and vulnerable, with virtues and flaws, and I got to experience all of that, Butler said in a USA TODAY interview. "[I see it as] a story of survival. (Photo by Gary Null & Frank Carroll/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images). They really tried to push Elvis beyond his capacity in the last few years of his life. And then it became about his health He achieved the American dream, but he was also human. Here's why. He knew he was not going to be able to perform like he wanted to., We shared many hours together, she continued. Legal Statement. Nick, was at Elvis beck and call for nearly a decade. Why was he in so much pain? Selena Gomez at the White House: Why mental health is 'personal' for the singer, actress, "What will create a better and more empathic relationship between fans and celebrities ismore celebrities empowering themselves to speak out about their authentic being,"Rockwellsays. (CBS via Getty Images). 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. In the end, he died a lonely man whose ornate home became the embodiment of Heartbreak Hotel., Left: Elvis Presley's former private nurse Letetia Henley Kirk has had the King on her mind. 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. the excessive use of drugs had caused serious implications on the singer's health. That added a lot of strain to this health. Elvis approved of the idea, and the label sent a studio truck to his home. 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. And hes the head of his whole organization. I gently raised one eyelid. 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. 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. On the day that Presley died, the Colonel was already planning the start of his next tour. The singer was also on a cocktail of drugs and had been prescribed almost 9,000 pills, vials and injections in the seven months before his death. Author Sally Hoedel's Elvis: Destined to Die Young notes that Elvis 's mother's parents were first cousins, with ill-health running through that side of the family. He was a very spiritual person, she explained. His eye was staring straight ahead and blood red.". Learn more about Friends of the NewsHour. ", CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER. If Presley werealive today, he would be 88. Forest believes it all stemmed back to a serious head injury he sustained in 1967 that triggered a progressive autoimmune inflammatory disorder. 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.". "He was miserable. 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. Lisa Marie Presley dies: Elvis Presley's only daughter dies at 54 after a brief hospitalization. "You always think there was something you could have done, that he might still be alive today. [He and Priscilla] continued to be very close via the telephone. He once told me, You never hear Superman asking for help.", "The touring is difficult," Hoedel explained. They have families to look after. Tennant reviewed the autopsy report, medical records and a confidential 161-page private investigation, and testified as a defense witness for Nichopoulos, who would be acquitted of charges of overprescribing drugs. (The doctor said they were for Presley's entourage as well.) You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! ", "We don't want celebrities to actually have that picture-perfect life. Most challenging during Elvis' final years was his nonstop schedule of his live performances. In 1980, the not-so-good doctor was indicted again for overprescribing to Presley as well as Jerry Lee Lewis, but was acquitted again. But certainly back in those days we didn't, Tennant explained. According to Elvis: Destined to Die Young, the singer's downward spiral, punctuated by health problems routinely written off as the consequences of addiction, could have been caused by. Elvis Presley collector reveals why the King is more valuable 45 years after his death. What were Elvis Presley's health issues that plagued him during his short life? It was hard to be Elvis, no one had done fame like that before, and no one else could do it for him. I asked Dr. Tennant how we could use Elvis' predicament to help others in pain. Instead of rushing an unconscious Elvis to a hospital, manager Tom Parker --- played by a surprisingly villainous Tom Hanks -- declares that the show must go on and summons Dr. EDS is what connects all of those health problems, correct? He took too much at times but he was self-medicating because he was trying to find a way to be Elvis Presley., Addiction specialists might term that elaborate rationalisation and justification of a king-size nature, but Hoedel says Presley also felt responsible for his family (as many as 10 members lived with him at Graceland), his band and the Memphis Mafia the courtiers who surrounded him. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. As someone who loves this struggling individual, the young woman started to become concerned with her lover's health as it rapidly declined. Market data provided by Factset. He was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead at age 42. In turn, many in Elvis' entourage believed Ginger to be nothing more than a gold-digger. 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. 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. Atherosclerosis is a condition where arteries become clogged with fatty substances. "It's more difficult to project onto somebody who's showing their fault lines. He was miserable because hed gained so much weight. Similar to many who found fame in the 60s and 70s, Elvis developed a drug addiction. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. Elvis Presley had multiple diseases. Eric Muirhead, Jerry Francisco, and Noel Florredo, conducted a two-hour post-mortem examination. The painkillers Presley used are believed to have contributed to his severeconstipation. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Subsequent armchair diagnosticians (and a few geneticists who claimed to have a lock of Elviss hair and performed a DNA analysis of it) have suggested Elvis had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle in which there is thickening of the hearts walls, weakening and enlargement of the muscle itself, and, ultimately heart failure or sudden cardiac death. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, We just see whatever we want," Manly says. And he would say, I cant. Dr. Elvis Presley health: The star was destined to die young full list of his health issues. Theres no one to blame - certainly not Elvis. But Donna Rockwell, a clinical psychologist specializing in celebrity mental health, says the cultural mockery of imperfect stars speaks to "a part of human nature we're not particularly proud of. The knowledge and experience Tennant gained in the last 50 years led to his recent book, appropriately titled The Strange Medical Saga of Elvis Presley.. He was very family-oriented, Kirk explained. Treatments for these conditions put Elvis in the hospital several times between 1973 and his death four years later. All rights reserved. Hoedel, a lifelong fan, believes that much of the reams of literature about the singer, starting with Albert Goldmans 1981 Elvis, have distorted his image, and she believes that a revision is overdue. In her book Elvis: Destined To Die Young, Sally revealed that Elvis suffered from diseases in nine of the 11 bodily systems. Most worrisome to his record label, RCA, was that the King had become entirely uninterested in going into the studio and recording. Throw in the obesity Elvis suffered from near the end of his life, what appears to be type II diabetes, an enlarged heart, and a steady diet of unhealthy, fatty and fried foods, along with his notorious prescription pill consumption, and you have the perfect prescription for disaster. Why the early death? The music icon passed away nearly 43 years ago, on Aug. 16, 1977, at age 42 from a heart attack, which. 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. Dealing with addiction and health issues and having a difficult time adjusting to the shifting cultural climate of the '60s and '70s, Elvis died a Vegas showman rather than a groundbreaking rocker. As he had in recent gigs, Elvis appeared overweight and at times winded but was reported to have given a solid performance overall. "[Those health] issues become more difficult to live with the more he tours, and he toured a great deal in those last several years. His body was swollen, he struggled to sleep, he was said to be constipated and everything just hurt. 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.". He would ask her, "Would you rub my legs? ", Harry, Meghan, The Rock, Naomi Osaka: Why celebrity mental health struggles matter. The jury thought Dr. Nick was acting in the best interests of the patient (an extremely improbable conclusion, it seems to this doctor) and was acquitted. There, the body identified the matter as foreign and produced antibodies to destroy it, triggering hypogammaglobulinemia, a disorder of the body's immune system. He turned to food for comfort and had gained a considerable amount of weight. 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