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The Tragic Connections Between Elvis and Lisa Marie’s Untimely Deaths

Photo Credit: Frank Carroll/ Sygma/ Getty Images/ Cropped
Photo Credit: Frank Carroll/ Sygma/ Getty Images/ Cropped

The death of Lisa Marie Presley, the only child of Elvis Presley, on January 12, 2023 came as a shock to the world. At only 54, she died young just like her father. Yet there are other devastating connections between their deaths that were pointed out by fans shortly after the news of her passing broke. Others have remarked that these similarities extend far beyond these two members of the Presley family.

First and only child

Lisa Marie was born to Elvis and Priscilla Presley on February 1, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee nine months after the two were married. Lisa Marie was the only child that the singer would ever have, and she was always very close with her father. Even years after his death she recalled, “I knew that he was crazy about me.” He was known to spoil her, giving her extremely expensive gifts throughout her childhood.

Priscilla Presley holds newborn Lisa Marie in her arms while Elvis looks down at her smiling.
Elvis and Priscilla leave Baptist Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee with their newborn daughter Lisa Marie, February 7, 1968. (Photo Credit: Bettmann/ Getty Images)

In one instance he took her to Idaho on his private jet, which would eventually be named Lisa Marie, so that she could play in the snow for an hour. As a child, she thought that this was normal and that it was simply the way all fathers showed that they loved their daughters. Although her parents eventually divorced, Lisa Marie remained close to both of them, living with her mother most of the time but frequently visiting Elvis up until his death.

Losing a father

Sadly, Lisa Marie lost her father when she was only nine years old. Not only did she have to experience this loss, but she was also in the home the night Elvis died. He kissed her goodnight, and it wasn’t until she was alerted to him dead in the bathroom that she saw him again. As Priscilla and Elvis had divorced, Lisa Marie became heir to his Graceland home and the rest of his estate alongside her grandfather Vernon.

Priscilla and Elvis Presley lying on a sun chair with Lisa Marie sitting on their laps.
Priscilla, Lisa Marie, and Elvis Presley at their California home, 1968. (Photo Credit: Magma Agency/ WireImage/ Getty Images)

He also, however, died soon after and everything became hers to manage when she reached the age of 25. Losing her father had a profound impact on Lisa Marie and was something she recounted in many interviews later in life. In once instance, she remembered, “His body was in the house for three days and there was something very oddly comforting about that, which made it not necessarily real to me.”

Eerie similarities

Fast forward many years to the announcement of Lisa Marie’s death and the similarities between the two tragedies are clear. She was rushed to the hospital having been found unresponsive in her home after going into cardiac arrest. Although she was given a pacemaker and put on life support in the ICU, she passed away later in the day. Her mother Priscilla announced the news, saying, “She was the most passionate, strong and loving woman I have ever known.”

Lisa Marie Presley in a black hat and black long sleeved shirt smirking at the camera.
Lisa Marie Presley poses for a portrait during the 2013 CMT Music Awards in Nashville, Tennessee, June 5, 2013. (Photo Credit: Christopher Polk/ Getty Images for Wonderwall)

Both Lisa Marie and her father were found in their homes unconscious having died from heart complications. While many people experience incidences like this, as The New York Post pointed out, many members of the Presley family have died from heart attacks and complained about similar symptoms to Lisa Marie and Elvis leading up to these events. The connection, according to at least one writer, may have been in their genetics.

Following her death, Lisa Marie was fondly remembered by those who knew her for her philanthropic work, her music, and her personality.

Lisa Marie’s cause of death revealed

Authorities announced on July 13, 2023, that Lisa Marie Presley died as a result of complications from bariatric surgery she underwent several years ago. The cause of death was determined to be natural, resulting from a small bowel obstruction.

the Graceland grave of Lisa Marie Presley
A view of the grave of Lisa Marie Presley during her memorial on January 22, 2023 in Memphis, Tennessee. Presley, 54, the only child of American singer Elvis Presley, died January 12, 2023 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s office released an autopsy report that revealed further information about Presley’s death. The report states that the complication she experienced is a common occurrence following bariatric surgery, a procedure performed for weight loss purposes. Bariatric surgery is typically considered when other weight loss methods have proven ineffective or when an individual has a significant medical condition, according to the Mayo Clinic.

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The autopsy report mentioned that Presley had been experiencing stomach pain earlier in the day prior to her death.

Rosemary Giles

Rosemary Giles is a history content writer with Hive Media. She received both her bachelor of arts degree in history, and her master of arts degree in history from Western University. Her research focused on military, environmental, and Canadian history with a specific focus on the Second World War. As a student, she worked in a variety of research positions, including as an archivist. She also worked as a teaching assistant in the History Department.

Since completing her degrees, she has decided to take a step back from academia to focus her career on writing and sharing history in a more accessible way. With a passion for historical learning and historical education, her writing interests include social history, and war history, especially researching obscure facts about the Second World War. In her spare time, Rosemary enjoys spending time with her partner, her cats, and her horse, or sitting down to read a good book.

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