It was clear that, from the moment he landed on the floor, Elvis hadnt moved.. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. He passed away on Aug. 16 of that year. The grave of singer Elvis Presley in Graceland. I asked Dr. Tennant how we could use Elvis' predicament to help others in pain. (Robert Alexander/Getty Images). He abused antihistamines, tranquilizers such as Valium, barbiturates, Quaaludes, sleeping pills, hormones and laxatives, for the constipation. Austin Butler chats with USA TODAY's Marco Della Cava about starring in Baz Luhrmann's "Elvis" as the title character alongside Tom Hanks. In a toxicology report, weeks after his death, Elvis' blood was found to have hadextremely high levels of the opiates Dilaudid, Percodan, Demeroland codeine,as well as Quaaludes. In 2020, Glenn Danzig, heavy metal vocalist and frontman of horror-punk act The Misfits, released Danzig Sings Elvis, an album of Elvis covers. Does Austin Butler sing in 'Elvis'? The toxicology report from Elvis' death said he had the opiates Dilaudid, Demerol, and Percodan in his blood, not to mention Quaaludes and codeine. Elvis Presleys former private nurse Letetia Henley Kirk has had the King on her mind. Hugely overweight, his mind dulled by the pharmacopeia he daily ingested, he was barely able to pull himself through his abbreviated concerts.". Appropriation or appreciation? His full medical saga has only recently begun to be thoroughly examined. 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. 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. They were all connected. Hoedel writes that Presleys health problems were intertwined with his life story, and he suffered from disease in nine of 11 bodily systems. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, The music icon passed away nearly 43 years ago, on Aug. 16, 1977, at age 42 from a heart attack, which. That always stayed with him. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Dr. Howard Markel writes a monthly column for the PBS NewsHour, highlighting momentous historical events that continue to shape modern medicine. Nothing happened to Elvis Presley that we don't have a good logical, scientific explanation for now. 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. "One of the maids picked up the phone, and it's Ginger. Many other musician biopics, such as Bohemian Rhapsody, fail to cover the latter half of these prolific figures' lives, mostly focusing on their rise to fame and notoriety.That being said, Elvis struggled with a fair number of health issues that Elvis didn't address, leading up to his tragic passing. But his immune system wasnt fighting off infection as it should have. After a quick injection of stimulant drugs, Elvis recovers just enough to sing, dance and entertain an adoring crowd in a packed showroom. In many ways, the Jungle Room was perfect for the task. 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. 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. ", What The Final 12 Months Of Elvis' Life Were Like, a 2019 interview with Elvis' Australian fan club. ", Celeb obsessed? 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. During the autopsy it became clear that Elvis did in fact have multiple heart problems, including a strained aorta and atherosclerosis. "In 1956 they didn't understand that these pills could become addictive. As the King of Rock 'n'Roll, Elvis was idolized, but later mocked after displaying health problems. Theyre killing me." "Formerly retired . As soon as we begin to objectify real people, "we completely remove the individual's personality, their true selves. Replacing Linda was actress Ginger Alden (above), a woman 20 years Elvis' junior. (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. Sally A. Hoedel wrote a book about Elvis Presley's health history that was published in 2020 titled Elvis: Destined to Die Young. Elvis Presley's Health and Legacy. He was later pronounced dead at Baptist Memorial Hospital. Photo by Fred Ross/Toronto Star via Getty Images, Elvis personal physician, George Nichopoulos, or Dr. 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. 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. Savannah Guthrie left the "Today" show during Tuesday's live broadcast amid Hoda Kotb's absence from the NBC morning show. ", Additionally, a report from the tabloid The Sun shows that Priscilla considered depictions of Elvis as a bystander in his own life to be inaccurate, only that he was dismissive of attempts to help him get treatment. Experts say it's crucial to treat stars with empathy and compassion, rather than ridicule. 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. Presley, once a former teen idol, had gained a considerable amount of weight. He also worked really hard to hide it. By examining his flaws and health issues, maybe we can start to see his humanity again.. In 1980, the not-so-good doctor was indicted again for overprescribing to Presley as well as Jerry Lee Lewis, but was acquitted again. Those sexy dance moves helped make Elvis famous, but they also foretold what lay in store for him. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. His health issues, often written off as resulting from prescription drug abuse enabled by his infamous doctor, George Nick Nichopoulos, could therefore be attributed in the first instance not to over-medication but to health problems that Presley and his doctors were trying to treat. While this is a cruel and derogatory way to describe someone dealing with personal health problems, it's undeniable that Elvis' eating and weight issues colored his last year on Earth. Presley, as depicted by actor Austin Butler, collapses in a hallway minutes before being scheduled to take the stage at the International Hotel in Las Vegas. But was the King simply ignoring his well-being, or was he having suicidal thoughts? 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. 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 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. (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.. After all these years people still want to know what happened to the "King." Kirk was working at her clinic when she received word that Presley had died. "When Elvis wasdoing well, people were projecting onto him the rock star,sexual image …then as he began to get older and he lost the luster, people were no longer seeing him as a sex symbol, as the man of America, but they saw him as adeteriorating rock star. Elvis Presley's former private nurse Letetia Henley Kirk has had the King on her mind. EDS is what connects all of those health problems, correct? Presley had recorded tracks at home in Palm Springs in 1973 to great success, and said that he enjoyed being in a room with his fellow musicians to feed off their emotions so why not set up a mobile studio in Graceland? Some experts agree Elvis may have been performing at a feverish pace to meet fans' demands at the expense of his well-being. He had weaknesses. All Rights Reserved. But he was found to have a wide variety of drugs in his system including amphetamines, barbiturates, and opiates. The problem became alarming especially during his last decade of life. He was trying to function within his reality., Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 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.. Copyright 2023 Pain News Network / Terms of Use / Privacy Policy / Advertising / Surveys / Donors. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. The outlet noted that during the last two years of his life, Presley made erratic stage appearances and lived nearly as a recluse. Williams herself recently told a photographer that she is "formerly retired" and wants to appear on shows including "Late Night with Seth Meyers" and "The View.". How could you possibly have problems? 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? 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. PBS reported that at the time of Presley's deathtwo pathologists "found evidence ofsevere and chronic constipation, diabetes and glaucoma." 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 . Nichopoulos, however, continued to over-prescribe to many other patients and in 1995, the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners finally and permanently suspended his medical license. 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. He felt the pressure. An autopsy was carried out that same day but the report was immediately sealed for 50 years by the family, sparking a slew of speculation as to what killed him. Others claimed he'd died from a drug overdose, but when the investigation was reopened in 1994, coroner Joseph Davis disagreed. If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). I was very fortunate [to have known him]. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. (According to the medical examiner's report, How Austin Butler vanished into the role of Elvis Presley, Austin Butler rules as the King, butBaz Luhrmann's 'Elvis' is an unchained mess, Carson Daly says he's suffered from anxiety, panic attacks on 'The Voice', Lessons for all of us in 'The Kardashians' finale. The singer had developed a dangerous dependence on prescription drugs and turned to overeating. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. The autopsy showed that Elvis was massively obese, had extensive plaques in his arteries and had a very enlarged heart. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. People assumed, Well, thats just an excuse to get medication. But he really was having this problem with fighting infection. He bought strangers new cars just to see their reactions. Thus, he likely died of a massive heart attack and keeled over onto the floor. Something went wrong, please try again later. "Theres no specific negligence on anyones part and definitely no cover-up or conspiracy of a criminal act. By 1976, Elvis had become disenfranchised and unhinged, his drug use, bad health, and financial excess chipping away at his composure. 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. And by the 70s, hes an insomniac. Elvis at the end of his life had more issues than the biopic cared to admit. Indeed, his medicine chest was filled with amber-colored, white-topped vials of medications, in doses no responsible doctor would have prescribed. 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. Learn more about Friends of the NewsHour. "Not getting to know them well, shortly after Elvis passed away, I was extremely disappointed to see the character of some that Elvis had around him," she said in a 2019 interview with Elvis' Australian fan club while promoting her book Elvis and Ginger: Elvis Presley's Fiance and Last Love Finally Tells Her Story. 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elvis' health problems