Selena Gomez at the White House: Why mental health is 'personal' for the singer, actress, "What will create a better and more empathic relationship between fans and celebrities ismore celebrities empowering themselves to speak out about their authentic being,"Rockwellsays. "He was encouraged to cancel the tour. With aging, drugs, a hefty and unhealthy diet, and a hard lifestyle, health issues increase, which resulted in Elvis's death on a toilet. "So when we see a celebrity altered in any way, we can say 'Oh, see, they faltered,'or 'They're not perfect.' As a young man embracing both a punishing work schedule and the stresses of newfound celebrity, Elvis was under a tremendous amount of pressure. We just see whatever we want," Manly says. needs to stop or at least radically change. Put simply, the strain of attempting to defecate compressed the singer's abdominal aorta, shutting down his heart.". That added a lot of strain to this health. He was not only my patient but a good friend., LIBERACE TOLD ELVIS PRESLEY HE NEEDED MORE GLITZ IN HIS SHOWS BEFORE LAS VEGAS TRANSFORMATION, BOOK CLAIMS, Elvis Presley in his final years. Five of those disease processes, she says, were present from birth. Indeed, the other two pathologists later admitted that Francisco was covering up the real cause of death at the request of Elviss mortified family who were concerned about the singers reputation. He once told me, You never hear Superman asking for help.", "The touring is difficult," Hoedel explained. Some of the many interesting and caloric meals heconsumed over the yearsincluded, the Fools Gold Loaf, which was "made with a jars worth of blueberry jam, a jars worth of peanut butter and an entire pound of bacon," and peanut butter and banana sandwiches. He was terribly ill, and he died accidentally in some ways with a dentist giving him codeine for his bad tooth, and his bad teeth were also part of the same disease that gave him a bad colon and a bad eye and a bad liver. He did start abusing drugs including amphetamines, opioids and sedatives as a teenager and is known to have had an appalling diet. Here's why. EDS is a genetic connective tissue collagen disorder, and what that means is that you are genetically predetermined to have your collagen in certain tissues either disappear or deteriorate or become defective, and to put it bluntly, you can have a rectal problem and an eye problem at the same time due to the same cause because your collagen is deteriorating in these tissues, Tennant told my colleague Donna Gregory Burch in a 2021 interview. But Elvis was not suffering from garden-variety constipation at the time of his death. He spent most of his time holed up in the elaborate den nicknamed the "Jungle Room" for its exotic decor of his Memphis compound Graceland. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. In the end, he died a lonely man whose ornate home became the embodiment of Heartbreak Hotel., Left: He was a very special person., BOB ROSS' TIME IN THE AIR FORCE INFLUENCED HIM IN 'THE JOY OF PAINTING,' PAL SAYS, Elvis Presley performs in concert during his 'Aloha From Hawaii' 1972 television special. Using this knowledge she states she was able to trace back every single one of his ailments which he suffered as a child including glaucoma, heart disease, diabetes and arthritis. And that's something that people who have wealth or fame have difficulty getting into.". ", What The Final 12 Months Of Elvis' Life Were Like, a 2019 interview with Elvis' Australian fan club. From my research, he was always trying to help Elvis but the line between friend and doctor got blurred, Hoedel says. Really he looked disproportionate a big swollen torso and face, with relatively slim arms and legs. Treatments for these conditions put Elvis in the hospital several times between 1973 and his death four years later. The world thinks he has everything, and yet the happiness isnt there. The pressure to perform, the loss of privacy and the incessant public. He was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead at age 42. 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. Elvis Presley had multiple diseases. Sally A. Hoedel wrote a book about Elvis Presley's health history that was published in 2020 titled Elvis: Destined to Die Young. But his immune system wasnt fighting off infection as it should have. Most worrisome to his record label, RCA, was that the King had become entirely uninterested in going into the studio and recording. The singer who became known as the King relied on a concoction of prescription drugs to get through daily life. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, The autopsy showed that Elvis was massively obese, had extensive plaques in his arteries and had a very enlarged heart. Elvis was a very kind hearted person. Others claimed he'd died from a drug overdose, but when the investigation was reopened in 1994, coroner Joseph Davis disagreed. He would pass away that same year. A man holds newspaper announcing his death. People there in the inner group did but you did not tell Elvis what to do. I saw vulnerability. The book, according to an excerpt in Salon, said it later was "established in court that during the seven and a half months preceding Elviss death, from January 1, 1977, to August 16, 1977, Dr. Nichopoulos had written prescriptions for him for at least 8,805 pills, tablets, vials, and injectables. Here's why. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Repeated head trauma can cause an autoimmune inflammatory disorder that can then attack any organ in the body. PBS reported that at the time of Presley's deathtwo pathologists "found evidence ofsevere and chronic constipation, diabetes and glaucoma." Market data provided by Factset. She walked past the painting, and she took her little fingers and blew a kiss and said, I love you, daddy. I melted right away.. 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." Austin Butler stars as the American heartthrob through the years:as a rocking teen who eventually spirals under the crumblingpressureof success, money and power. 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. Elvis approved of the idea, and the label sent a studio truck to his home. Conditions such as post-concussion syndrome can lead to symptoms such as dizziness, headaches and difficulty concentrating. He didn't "jiggle" nearly as much as most do, nor did his legs or arms look especially fat. ", WOULD ELVIS PRESLEY SURVIVE CANCEL CULTURE? "People think: Oh, you're a star or you have money. 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. 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.. Dan Warlick, chief investigator for the Tennessee Office of the State Chief Medical Examiner, attended the autopsy and fuelled the popular theory that Elvis died while straining to go to the toilet. But now, "Elvis" (in theaters) strives to humanize the legendary singer beyond his musical abilities. 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. Legal Statement. Throughout Elvis' career, he was surrounded by a crew of friends, hangers-on, and enablers that were casually dubbed the "Memphis Mafia." To this day, conflicting speculationssurroundElvis' death. Elvis' downward spiral of health struggles is intertwined with his life story, and for the first time, it is revealed that he suffered from disease in nine of eleven bodily systems. But Tennant thinks Presley had all the symptoms of EDS, including an unusual degree of flexibility and double jointness that allowed him to swing his hips and gyrate wildly. He would ask her, "Would you rub my legs? Theres a scene towards the end of the new Elvis movie when you know the end is coming soon. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Slurring his words. 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.. 'I couldn't be an imposter': How Austin Butler vanished into the role of Elvis Presley. He was later pronounced dead at Baptist Memorial Hospital. In 2020, Hoedel wrote a book titled "Elvis: Destined to Die Young," which explored the late music icons health history and what contributed to his early demise. Preliminary autopsy findings determined Presley's death was the result of a "cardiac arrhythmia" and that drugs were not involved,saidPBS. In November 1976, Elvis split with his girlfriend of four years Linda Thompson, according to The Wrap. In 1967 Elvis was victim to just that, knocking himself out after falling in a bathroom. Replacing Linda was actress Ginger Alden (above), a woman 20 years Elvis' junior. They were all connected. As he began to age, his mental health problems began to surface and people didn't know what to make of that, because many assume that type of person should be impervious to human issues," says Carla Manly, a clinical psychologist and author ofJoy from Fear. They have families to look after. (CBS via Getty Images). 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. Meanwhile, though his adoption of African-American musical traditions is a bone of contention for many listeners today, in his heyday it was a powerful way to put non-white rhythms in front of segregated audiences. Elvis Presley suffered eye disease glaucoma and was almost blind when he died, according to the late King of Rock's personal physician. (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. Dr. Atherosclerosis is a condition where arteries become clogged with fatty substances. (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images), The fifth tour of the year, comprised of 10 cities, 10 shows in 10 days, began on June 17 and ended on June 26. According to Rolling Stone, that was when producer Felton Jarvis had a game-changing idea: If Elvis wouldn't go to the studio, they'd bring the studio to Elvis. If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). "And he wasnt honest with everyone about that he was also surrounded with a lot of yes people. Market data provided by Factset. He passed away on Aug. 16 of that year. The toxicology report from Elvis' death said he had the opiates Dilaudid, Demerol, and Percodan in his blood, not to mention Quaaludes and codeine. Savannah Guthrie left the "Today" show during Tuesday's live broadcast amid Hoda Kotb's absence from the NBC morning show. 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. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Contributions are tax deductible for U.S. taxpayers. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. For fans of rock and roll everywhere, the King's death was a monumental blow. Pain News Network is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit charity. His hip-swinging antics might seem tame to today's audiences, but when he first emerged as a pop star, Elvis introduced millions to rock's inherent sexuality. ", CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER. When Elvis catapulted into fame with his legendary pompadour and pelvic gyrations, America swooned. As detailed in the documentary Elvis Presley: The Last 24 Hours, Elvis' final day on earth included a nighttime trip to the dentist in search of prescription drugs, a 4 a.m. game of racquetball with his cousin Billy Smith, and an impromptu piano performance of classics including "Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain." The investigation was reopened in 1994, coroner Joseph Davis disagreed, with slim. 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