Priscilla Presley is opening up about the deep grief her late daughter faced after losing Lisa Marie Presley’s son, Benjamin Keough. In a candid interview and her new memoir, Softly, as I Leave You: Life After Elvis, Priscilla reveals how Benjamin’s tragic death in 2020 forever changed Lisa Marie.
Benjamin died by suicide at age 27, leaving his mother devastated. Lisa Marie, who also shared daughter Riley with Danny Keough and twins Finley and Harper with Michael Lockwood, struggled to find joy after his passing. According to People, Priscilla explained, “[Ben] was absolutely the love of her life. She didn’t want to be here anymore [after his death]. She wanted to be with Ben.”
Grief That Never Lifted
Priscilla said she often reminded her daughter that she still had her twins to raise, but the sorrow of losing Lisa Marie Presley’s son weighed too heavily. Lisa Marie tried to move forward, but Benjamin’s absence left a void she could not overcome.
Three years later, Lisa Marie died at age 54 from complications of bariatric surgery. Priscilla recalls her heartbreak upon entering her daughter’s hospital room, realizing her vibrant spirit was already gone. She ultimately made the painful decision to remove Lisa Marie from life support, saying it was what her daughter would have wanted.
A Mother’s Final Goodbye
Reflecting on the decision, Priscilla described asking the doctors what kind of life Lisa Marie would have if kept on machines. Their response convinced her there was no quality of life left. “I thought about my girl, my wild, rebellious, passionate girl, lying in a vegetative state,” she writes. “I said what I had to. ‘Take her off the machine, Doctor.’”
Today, Priscilla chooses to focus on happier memories. She remembers Lisa Marie as fun-loving, spirited, and someone who enjoyed gathering friends and family. While the loss of Lisa Marie Presley’s son and later her daughter continues to weigh heavily, Priscilla hopes her memoir will show the enduring bond they shared.