Elvis Presley passed away in 1977, and 45 years later, the real reason for his death still remains a mystery.
Elvis Presley is one of the best-known names in the entertainment world. Entitled of Rock kingthe singer became world famous for presenting a style of music and dance considered daring and revolutionary for his time.
The biopic of Elvis directed by Baz Luhrmann is one of the most anticipated films of 2022 and will hit national theaters this Thursday, July 14th. Despite the historic success, the fame of Elvis goes beyond the songs, also remembered for having a death shrouded in mystery.
with the interest for Elvis dwindling over the years, the musician’s estate was brainstorming ideas to win back audiences, hoping that Luhrmann cause an effect similar to Bohemian Rhapsody (2018), which won over Generation Z with hits from Queen.
The Death of Elvis Presley
Born January 8, 1935, Elvis Presley died at age 42, on August 16, 1977, after being found in the bathroom of his mansion, Graceland, in Memphis, Tennessee. At the time, it was reported that he just passed out in the bathroom and died, without further clarification of what had happened.
For unknown reasons, the singer’s autopsy was kept secret by his family for 50 years. That is, by 2027, no one but the family Presley may have access to the information.
At edition 248 of Rolling Stone USA [setembro de 1977] one of the Baptist Memorial Hospital employees told reporter Chet Flippo that Elvis they were removed for autopsy, and not returned for veil.
“An autopsy normally takes 24 hours. Standard procedure is that any vital organs removed for study are returned, placed in a bag and thrown into the coffin before burial. But not in Elvis’ case. The brain, heart, kidneys, liver and everything else was kept for testing here.”
The preliminary finding of the cause of death was cardiac arrhythmia and hardening of the arteries. Doctors and the press who followed the artist’s death were surprised by the rush for the announcement, even more so because it was not linked to the abuse of narcotics.
Use of drugs
Even with the secret, the analysis of the body revealed, at the time, the use of different substances, such as Dilaudid, Percodan, Demerol, Codeine and Quaaludes.
In 1973, the year he divorced Priscilla Presley, Elvis spent three days in a coma after an overdose, in addition to other hospitalizations for critical condition following the use of excessive chemicals.
A report, published by the magazine people in 1980, revealed that in the 20 months before his death, 12,000 drugs were prescribed. The doctor who referred them to Elvis, known as Dr. Nick’s license was revoked and 19 more patients were discovered who also received exaggerated drug prescriptions.
Weight gain
In addition to overuse of medication, Elvis Presley also faced weight gain; at age 40, he reached 160 kg. He even started refusing to shower, which caused some wounds on his body.
Some of the documents revealed at the time, pointed out that his heart was swollen. He also had emphysema in his lungs, and in his intestines, stools that were at least four months old were found.
Maurice Elliotvice president of Baptist Hospital, said in a press release about the King of Rock’s previous hospitalizations: “We had treatment for everything – hypertension, dilated colon, gastroenteritis, stomach inflammation. I was being treated with cortisone, which could be the explanation for his weight”.
Source: Rollingstone
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
