Lisa Marie Presley at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards - Las Vegas

What Lisa Marie Presley Did With Son's Body After His Death Revealed

Home / News / What Lisa Marie Presley Did With Son's Body After His Death Revealed

By Afouda Bamidele on October 8, 2024 at 12:45 PM EDT

People grieve differently, and Lisa Marie Presley's way is certainly one for the history books after the death of her son, Benjamin Keough.

Death could not break the doting mother and her son's strong bond, as new details have emerged on how the late actress couldn't let go of her only son, and it is nothing short of emotional.

Lisa Marie Presley revealed her shocking grief process in a memoir, completed by her daughter and Benjamin's sister, Riley Keough, in 2023 after she passed away.

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Lisa Marie Presley Would Not Let Benjamin Keough's Body Go After His Passing

A part from the memoir titled "From Here to the  Great Unknown" disclosed that the singer was heartbroken over her son's death and could not bring herself to say goodbye to him immediately after he passed.

Presley stated that she fought hard to stay alive for Benjamin, Riley, and her twin girls, Harper and Finley Lockwood.

While the star remained conflicted on the next step to take on whether to bury her late son in Hawaii or at Graceland in Tennessee, where Elvis is buried, she reportedly kept him in a separate casita at her Calabasas home.

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Her brilliant plan worked as the state of California does not have laws enforcing immediate burials of bodies. Per TMZ, Presley explained that she found a kind funeral homeowner who brought Benjamin to her and kept him at 55 degrees in her home to preserve his body.

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Presley's Cause Of Death Left Her Loved Ones Perplexed

Lisa Marie Presley at the Premiere of 'Mad Max: Fury Road'
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The Blast gathered that Presley died due to complications from a secret weight loss surgery she had done years ago. According to documents, the star experienced bowel obstruction caused by adhesion that developed after the bariatric surgery.

The revelation was shocking to her friends, who claimed to be unaware of such surgery as she was never really overweight while she was alive. A friend noted:

"When did you ever see Lisa look as if she needed bariatric surgery? She was not big at all. I don't know what kind of doctor would perform this surgery on her."

Her friends, however, confessed to having knowledge of her regular minor cosmetic procedures, including Botox and skin fillers, but never something as serious as bariatric surgery.

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Presley's Last Appearance Was At The 2022 Golden Globes Award

Apart from keeping her surgery a secret, the star also kept away from everyone for several months before her death was announced. Although she had always been an introvert, sources close to her noted that the seclusion got worse after Benjamin committed suicide in 2020.

She made her last public appearance on the Golden Globes Award red carpet alongside actor Austin Butler, who starred in the movie "Elvis," based on her father's life.

According to her friend and a former Scientologist, Jefferey Augustine, the star was concerned about her weight in the days leading to the event and even went on a crash diet to shed 40 pounds before attending the award show.

"She was having financial problems, and she hoped the publicity from the film would bump up Elvis' sales," he added.

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The Inspiration To Publish A Book On Grief Came After Her Son's Death

Before she passed away, the star was reportedly researching and preparing to write a book on grief. She also planned to interview grieving parents who had just lost children, like her.

Presley was living with her ex-husband, Danny Keough, at her Calabasas home at that time and was working closely with grief and trauma expert David Kessler for the project.

Kessler, who spoke about Presley after her passing, disclosed that her son's death "inspired her to work toward becoming an advocate for those who are struggling with the heartbreak of grief."

He added that their friendship grew not only because he was a grief expert but because they also shared a sense of loss.

Lisa Marie Presley Died In The Middle Of A Custody Battle With Lockwood

Michael Lockwood and Lisa Marie Presley appear at the Grove
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The late icon's death could not have come at a more crushing time as she was fighting for the custody of her daughters Harper and Finley, which also reportedly placed mental stress on her.

Following her passing, her ex-husband was eventually granted full custody of the twins and also appointed as their legal guardian. Presley's will also placed Riley and the late Benjamin as co-trustee of her estate.

However, her mother, Priscilla Presley, headed to court to contest the will and express her displeasure. Priscilla and Riley eventually arrived at a favorable settlement that benefited both parties and saw Riley emerge as the sole trustee of Presley's estate.

Lisa Marie Presley's love for her children is undeniable, and new facts continue to prove how much of a doting mother she was!

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