I had a huge painting of Elvis -- a velvet painting he had given me, she said. And it was his girlfriend Ginger Alden who found the rock and roll star's body with his pyjama bottoms around his ankles and his bottom in the air. We and our partners use cookies on this site to improve our service, perform analytics, personalize advertising, measure advertising performance, and remember website preferences. Atherosclerosis is a condition where arteries become clogged with fatty substances. The grave of singer Elvis Presley in Graceland. By the mid-70s, Presley was in declining physical and mental health, history.com reported. (Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images). Theres no one to blame - certainly not Elvis. 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. But even more shocking and strange might be the sheer amount of activity undertaken by the King in the hours before he passed away. But in 1976, all three were fired to "cut back on expenses." Presley was born inTupelo,Mississippi, on Jan.8, 1935, and died in Memphis, Tennessee, on Aug. 16, 1977. The King's only true friend near the time of his death was arguably Letitia Henley, his live-in nurse. Hoedel writes that Presleys health problems were intertwined with his life story, and he suffered from disease in nine of 11 bodily systems. Legal Statement. Get the best of Fox News' entertainment coverage, right in your inbox. Thats not enough for a man who culturally shifted our universe. For Mr Tennant, one major clue was in the full-body deterioration of Elvis, with almost every organ plagued by ill health. As the King of Rock 'n'Roll, Elvis was idolized, but later mocked after displaying health problems. 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. What about now? Sure, Elvis will always be remembered for "Jailhouse Rock" and "Can't Help Falling In Love With You", but these final tracks are a testament that even lonely, depressive Elvis had a message that would resonate with audiences for years to come. During the final months of his life, Elvis Presley was said to be in a lot of physical pain. Elvis Aaron Presley died August 16, 1977, at the age of 42. 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 Presley suffered eye disease glaucoma and was almost blind when he died, according to the late King of Rock's personal physician. His full medical saga has only recently begun to be thoroughly examined. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. Here's his response. 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. 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. As someone who loves this struggling individual, the young woman started to become concerned with her lover's health as it rapidly declined. From my research, he was always trying to help Elvis but the line between friend and doctor got blurred, Hoedel says. In 1967 Elvis was victim to just that, knocking himself out after falling in a bathroom. "We see that when he tours, he takes more medication than when hes not touring. Presleys forebears may have made marriage choices because of poverty and proximity, but Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt married to keep wealth in the family. Had he had immediate medical attention, theres a big possibility [he might have lived], she said. The last decade of his life had seen his health take a dramatic nose dive. According to LiveAbout.com, Elvis became dependent on several different types of prescription drugs, specifically amphetamines to keep him awake and barbiturates to help him sleep or relax. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. But it's "She Thinks I Still Care" that is regarded by many to be Elvis' finest latter-day moments, illustrating a man trying to move on while trapped in the role tailor-made for him and revealing, according to Rolling Stone, "a real-life glimpse into the life of an increasingly isolated man.". 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. Photo by Fred Ross/Toronto Star via Getty Images, Elvis personal physician, George Nichopoulos, or Dr. The toxicology report from Elvis' death said he had the opiates Dilaudid, Demerol, and Percodan in his blood, not to mention Quaaludes and codeine. the excessive use of drugs had caused serious implications on the singer's health. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Market data provided by Factset. His medicine chest was filled with amber-colored, white-topped vials of medications, in doses no responsible doctor would have prescribed. However, as Presleys body was slowing down, Hoedel said his determination to hit the road endured. Presley was a long-time abuser of opiates, which not only kill pain but also cause savage constipation. And that's something that people who have wealth or fame have difficulty getting into.". But according to "Elvis," overwhelming demand from fans played a part in his fall. He had a private doctor who would prescribe him any pill he asked for, according to a People Magazine storyshortly after his death. At his last concert, which took place in Indiana, Presley was quoted as saying, "My body really hurts, but no matter what Im going out there tonight and giving everything I have no matter what." This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. found Presleylying unconscious on the floor of the master suite bathroom, The 10 best (and the absolute worst) Elvis movies, ranked. Throughout Elvis' career, he was surrounded by a crew of friends, hangers-on, and enablers that were casually dubbed the "Memphis Mafia." I asked Dr. Tennant how we could use Elvis' predicament to help others in pain. He felt the pressure. By then, he really needs a lot of medication to achieve any form of sleep And hes taking things like Valium to achieve sleep because he literally cannot sleep any other way. Stephanie Nolasco covers entertainment at Foxnews.com. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. At 10 years old, he placed fifth inthe 1945 Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show for a solo performance without musical accompaniment, saidbiography.com. The tip of his tongue was clenched between his teeth and his face was blotchy. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. He paid strangers hospital bills if he heard they were poor. It takes hours to die from drugs.". I walked over, lifted his chin, and said, Elvis, if you talk to me, you look at me, she said. 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. [He and Priscilla] continued to be very close via the telephone. A diagnostic screening tool for EDS didnt exist when Elvis was alive and few physicians were even aware of the condition. The colon is the longest part of the large intestine and when blocked causes a megacolon. Home Health News Elvis Presley health: The star was destined to die young full list of his health issues, We use your sign-up to provide content in ways youve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. That one scene sums up how the real Elvis Presley spent his final years before dying of an apparent heart attack in 1977 at the young age of 42. What confused some people, though, was that Elvis took a portion of the show to introduce everyone from his life onstage. Hoedel said Presley was "worried" about his health deteriorating. 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. ELVIS PRESLEY'S CO-STAR IRENE TSU RECALLS BEFRIENDING THE KING ON SET: 'HE WAS VERY GENEROUS AND CARING', Elvis Presley during a performance at NBC Studios in Burbank, CA. "He believed he could conquer all his problems himself. Preliminary autopsy findings determined Presley's death was the result of a "cardiac arrhythmia" and that drugs were not involved,saidPBS. (The doctor said they were for Presley's entourage as well.) His body was swollen, he struggled to sleep, he was said to be constipated and everything just hurt. I think its important to take a real honest approach to his humanity. Legal Statement. His sudden death led to rumors that he died from an overdose or even a horrible case of constipation. This biographical musical drama chronicles the rock legend's rise to stardom, marriage toPriscilla Presley and overall legacy. I knew he was dead.". Presley was found unresponsive at Graceland. As soon as we begin to objectify real people, "we completely remove the individual's personality, their true selves. As Elvis Presley embarked on a grueling tour, he was concerned about his health, Sally A. Hoedel claimed. ", WOULD ELVIS PRESLEY SURVIVE CANCEL CULTURE? Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. However, though Dr. Nick was charged with 11 felony accounts of overprescribing drugs, he was acquitted the medical examiner claimed that Elvis had died of heart disease, adding, "Had these drugs not been there, he still would've died.". He was often getting fevers and flu-type symptoms. During the autopsy it became clear that Elvis did in fact have multiple heart problems, including a strained aorta and atherosclerosis. (CBS via Getty Images). Despite his introverted personality, Presley had immense musical talent. While many of Elvis' loyal fans refused the buy the biography upon its initial release in May 1977 in the UK and late July in the US the King's death soon thereafter, and the revelation that many of the book's stories were painfully accurate, turned it into one of the most successful Elvis books of all time. Numerous documentaries have exposed. Elvis Presley's Health and Legacy. The problem became alarming especially during his last decade of life. By then, he and his wife Priscilla Presley had separated. The singer, who made teenage girls hysterical with his movie star looks, catchy songs and gyrating. But now, "Elvis" (in theaters) strives to humanize the legendary singer beyond his musical abilities. Now The King's cousin has shared specific . Appropriation or appreciation? 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. 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.. Eric Muirhead, Jerry Francisco, and Noel Florredo, conducted a two-hour post-mortem examination. I turned him over and I knew. 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. Dr. George Nichopoulos earned notoriety when, three years. It became a problem, but why was he taking them in the first place?, Dr Nick is a controversial figure. After years of drug abuse, the once lithe star weighed in at 25 stone and had spent months barricaded in his bedroom gorging on platters of cheeseburgers. One of the first responders who arrived at Graceland after the emergency call on the day Elvis died and helped carry him to the ambulance was quoted in the book "Elvis Presley: A Southern Life" saying he "must have weighed 250 pounds," according to Salon. Elvis Presley performs in concert during his 'Aloha From Hawaii' 1972 television special. 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. Who have wealth or fame have difficulty getting into. `` possibility [ might. Paid strangers hospital bills if he heard they were for Presley 's entourage as well. not Elvis saidbiography.com! 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