Priscilla Presley sensed something unusual with her daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, shortly before her unexpected passing earlier this year.
“In my heart, I felt something was amiss,” Priscilla shared in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
She recounted a moment with Lisa Marie at a Golden Globes after-party on January 10, where they were celebrating Austin Butler’s win for his role in Baz Luhrmann’s movie “Elvis.” During the event, Lisa Marie mentioned severe stomach pain. “After reaching the party, we had this light moment where I stumbled because of my heels,” Priscilla described. They shared a laugh, with Lisa Marie jokingly remarking, “Mom, you haven’t even had a drink.” After sitting down and ordering, Lisa Marie expressed her discomfort. “She told me, ‘Mom, my stomach is really aching.’ We decided to leave immediately,” Priscilla added.
Only two days later, a devastating call from Lisa Marie’s former husband, Danny Keough, informed Priscilla that Lisa Marie was hospitalized. “By the time I reached, she had already passed,” Priscilla conveyed, her voice laden with sorrow. “It’s a nightmare I wouldn’t wish upon any mother.”
Lisa Marie, the only child of Priscilla and the iconic Elvis Presley, passed away hours after hospitalization on January 12, due to what seemed like cardiac arrest. Later, a medical examiner’s report revealed her death was a result of a bowel obstruction, a side effect from a previous weight-loss surgery. The report also confirmed she had been suffering from abdominal pain on her last day.
Following Lisa Marie’s passing, there were legal complications. Priscilla challenged the validity of her will in the Los Angeles Superior Court. The will named Lisa Marie’s elder children, Riley and Benjamin Keough, as estate executors. Notably, Benjamin Keough had passed away in 2020.
Ultimately, Priscilla and Riley reached an amicable agreement concerning the will by May. Priscilla emphasized their bond in the interview, dispelling rumours of a family divide. “Riley is rightfully the executor as Lisa Marie’s daughter,” she stated. “Riley and I have always been close, and I’ll always be there for her.”
Backing Priscilla’s sentiments, Riley in a Vanity Fair interview earlier shared, “Our relationship with Grandma has always been positive.”
She also expressed her admiration for Priscilla, acknowledging her role in shaping Elvis Presley’s legacy. “She played a pivotal part in building my grandfather’s legacy and Graceland,” Riley said. “It’s evident she deeply loved him.”
The bond between family members is an enduring force, even in the face of adversity and loss. As Priscilla and Riley navigate their grief and the responsibilities of an illustrious legacy, their shared respect and love for each other shine through. Lisa Marie’s spirit lives on, not just in the music and memories she left behind but in the unbreakable connection between a mother and her granddaughter.
