Lisa Marie Presley Opens Up Like Never Before About Grieving Her Son's Tragic Death
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Lisa Marie Presley has survived many tragedies in her life, starting with the loss of her famous father when she was nine years old. However, she was dealt perhaps the biggest blow of all on July 13, 2020, when her 27-year-old son, Benjamin Keough, died by suicide. After, Presley retreated from the spotlight to deal with her grief. "These are some of the darkest days of my family's life," Lisa Marie's mother Priscilla, wrote on Facebook at the time. Presley hasn't spoken much about her heartbreak since, but she continues to honor her son every July 13. This year, for example, she marked the two-year anniversary of his passing by sharing an image of the matching Celtic knot tattoo she once got with Benjamin, writing, "We will be connected eternally."
It's clear Presley is still heartbroken and her son will forever be on her mind. When Baz Luhrmann's "Elvis" was released in May 2022, thought of her late son. Giving a heartbreaking update, she wrote on Instagram, "It breaks my heart that my son isn't here to see it. He would have absolutely loved it as well." She also explained that she only wants to focus on her kids these days and doesn't have much heart or energy for anything else. Now, Elvis' daughter has opened up about the tragic death of her son in a candid post aimed to help others.
The one thing that keeps Lisa Marie Presley going
August 30 marked "National Grief Awareness Day" — a day that's close to Lisa Marie Presley's heart. In the two years since the death of her son, Benjamin Keough, her grieving is far from over. As she shared in a powerful essay, per People, it will never end. Opening up about her journey with grief, Presley said she wants to give strength to those dealing with tragedy, and inspire others to better support those experiencing loss. "Grief has to get talked about," she began before sharing the three biggest lessons she's learned. "One is that grief does not stop or go away in any sense, a year, or years after the loss," Presley wrote. "Two, grief is incredibly lonely." The 54-year-old also revealed that being a parent who's lost a child comes with the added pressure of outside judgment as people place blame at your doorstep and turn you, as she put it, into "a pariah." That's why she turned to a support group of folks going through a similar loss.
Finally, Presley revealed her reason for not giving up: her kids. Presley is also mom to actor Riley Keough (with ex-husband Danny Keough) and twin daughters Finley Aaron Love and Harper Vivienne Anne (with ex-husband Michael Lockwood). "It's a real choice to keep going, one that I have to make every single day and one that is constantly challenging to say the least," she wrote. "But I keep going for my girls."