The late Lisa Marie Presley’s newly released memoir, *From Here to the Great Unknown*, reveals a haunting detail about how she coped with the tragic loss of her son, Benjamin Keough. According to the memoir, Presley kept her son’s body in her home for two months following his death in 2020. Her daughter, actress Riley Keough, completed the book after Presley’s passing in January 2023 at the age of 54.
In the memoir, Riley Keough shares that her mother was so overcome with grief that she couldn’t bear to let Benjamin go immediately. “My mom had my brother in the house with us instead of keeping him at the morgue,” Keough wrote. She explained that the family kept Benjamin’s body on dry ice in a separate bedroom suite, allowing Presley to grieve on her own terms. California law doesn’t specify a timeframe for burial or cremation, so Presley’s decision was legally permissible, if unconventional.
Benjamin Keough, the grandson of Elvis Presley, died by suicide in July 2020, a loss that sent Lisa Marie into a profound state of mourning. Presley wrote that she struggled to find the strength to carry on for her other children—Riley and twin daughters Harper and Finley Lockwood. The memoir reveals the depth of Presley’s connection to her son, describing how she found comfort by keeping him close as she struggled to process his passing. “I kept Ben Ben in a separate casitas bedroom at my home for two months,” Presley wrote, describing the immense difficulty she faced in deciding whether to lay him to rest in Hawaii or at Graceland, the iconic estate where her father, Elvis, is buried.
The memoir also includes poignant moments, such as when Presley and Riley had a tattoo artist come to their home to memorialize Benjamin. Riley explained that getting tattoos to match Benjamin’s was a way for them to feel closer to him in the midst of their shared grief.
*From Here to the Great Unknown* delves into the struggles Presley faced after losing her son, drawing from archival recordings and notes she left behind. It offers a rare and intimate glimpse into the emotional world of the Presley family, revealing how they navigated loss and found solace in each other. The memoir is as much about grief as it is about resilience, showcasing how Presley fought to keep going for the sake of her remaining children.
Lisa Marie Presley’s legacy continues through this memoir, completed by her daughter Riley, who has shared her mother’s story with an unflinching honesty that fans will find both heartbreaking and inspiring.
Leave a Comment