The Tragic 2020 Death Of Elvis Presley's Grandson
Besides being known as the King of Rock 'n' Roll, Elvis Presley is remembered for his epic love story with his first and only wife, Priscilla Presley (via USA Today). According to Biography, the pair met in 1959 and married in 1967. Nine months later, Priscilla gave birth to their only child, Lisa Marie Presley. The union, however, did not last, and the couple divorced in 1973 (per Country Living). Although Presley died in 1977, his legacy lives on with his daughter and grandchildren. When she was just 20 years old, People reported that Lisa Marie married musician Daniel Keough in 1988.
All That's Interesting writes that they met at the Church of Scientology's Celebrity Center in Los Angeles. The pair welcomed two children, Danielle Riley Keough in 1989 and Benjamin Keough in 1992 (per Closer Weekly). Lisa Marie and Keough divorced in 1994. She went on to marry Michael Jackson, Nicholas Cage, and musician Michael Lockwood, whom she shares two twin daughters with. By all accounts, Lisa Marie and her son were extremely close. In 2012, she tweeted that she and Keough had gotten matching Celtic tattoos for Mother's Day (per Yahoo).
On July 12, 2020, Entertainment Weekly announced that Benjamin Keough, then 27, had died. A representative for Lisa Marie stated, "She is completely heartbroken, inconsolable, and beyond devastated but trying to stay strong for her 11-year-old twins and her oldest daughter Riley. She adored that boy. He was the love of her life."
Benjamin Keough ended his life
Days after his death, TMZ reported that Benjamin Keough had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. According to Extra TV, Keough's body was found at his home in Calabasas, California by his girlfriend, Diana Pinto, during her birthday party. An autopsy later revealed that he had cocaine and alcohol in his system at the time of his death (via Metro). Keough reportedly had a long history of depression and addiction. All That's Interesting writes he had gone to rehab shortly before his death.
Additionally, it's believed that Keough had previously attempted to take his life by "overdosing on alcohol and cocaine" six months before he died (per Extra TV). According to news.com.au, little is known about Keough's life. However, it's noted that he strongly resembled his late grandfather, Elvis Presley. In 2012, Lisa Marie told CMT that when she performed at the Opry, "Everybody was grabbing him for a photo because it is just uncanny. Sometimes I am overwhelmed when I look at him."
In October 2020, Graceland, Presley's famed home, announced on its official Facebook page that Keough had been buried next to Presley and his other family members, including his grandparents, Gladys and Vernon Presley. After Keough's death, an unnamed source told The Sun, "It is shocking news, but it also isn't a huge surprise as he had been struggling." Per The Mercury News, Keough was raised as a Scientologist but had left the church on a bad note. Moreover, he struggled to make a name for himself (via People).
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
He felt pressure to live up to his famous family name
In an interview with People, Benjamin Keough's longtime friend Brandon Howard stated that Keough had "struggled" with his mental health for some time. He added that being a Presley didn't help. As Howard explained, "It's a tough thing when you have a lot of pressure with your family and living up to a name and an image. It's a lot of pressure." Notably, Keough's sister Riley is an acclaimed actress that has starred in "Mad Max: Fury Road," "The Devil All the Time," and more (via IMDb). In a 2013 interview with The Talk (as seen on YouTube), Lisa Marie stated that Keough "loves music" but that she was wary of "pushing" him.
In 2009, the Daily Mail reported that Keough had been signed to a $5 million record deal with Universal to make five albums. However, All That's Interesting points out that he never released any of the music he recorded. Howard went on to tell People that despite his own personal struggles, Keough was always there for his friends and family. A year after his death, Riley told The New York Times that her brother's death felt "like I was thrown into the ocean and couldn't swim."
In May 2022, Lisa Marie wrote on Instagram that she wished her son was alive to see the Baz Luhrmann-directed film "Elvis." She added that she "will forever be mourning the loss of my son" and "navigating through this hideous grief that absolutely destroyed and shattered my heart and my soul into almost nothing has swallowed me whole."
If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.