Elvis Presley, the rock and roll icon known as The King, died at just 42 years old. He was found lifeless at his grand mansion, having keeled over in the bathroom. For over four decades, the disturbing circumstances of his gradual deterioration and ultimate demise have shocked and captivated his admirers.
Rise to Fame and Health Decline
Presley, who achieved stardom as a teenager in the 1950s, was pursued by shrieking admirers wherever he went. His image graced bedroom walls, and every single he released was guaranteed success. He also mastered cinema, appearing in several box office smashes.
Despite his youth, by the time of his death he bore little resemblance to the teenager who had crooned the blues. His medical issues began well before August 1977, and it was obvious to anyone who saw him perform in his final years that he was battling serious problems.
Deteriorating Health and Drug Dependency
As far back as 1973, the year he split from his first wife Priscilla, his health was already deteriorating. He lay unconscious for three days in a hotel suite after taking too many barbiturates. By the year's end, he was rushed to hospital in a semi-conscious condition while battling the effects of painkiller dependency.
His relentless touring commitments were held responsible for his growing reliance on medication, with numerous performances tainted by his deteriorating condition. Three years before his passing, keyboard player Tony Brown remembers him tumbling from a limousine upon arriving for a concert at the University of Maryland. Guitarist John Wilkinson said: "It was obvious there was something terribly wrong with his body. It was so bad the words to the songs were barely intelligible. I remember crying, he could barely get through the introductions."
Final Years and Autopsy Findings
By 1975, studio recording had become a battle, and his record label RCA installed recording equipment at his mansion. He laid down tracks equivalent to six albums during this period, though few climbed the charts. In 1976, he proposed to Ginger Alden just two months after they met.
However, the svelte young man was now a distant memory. Elvis had ballooned to a staggering 25 stone, and by the summer of 1977, his health was in dire straits. Confined to bed and dependent on almost constant nursing care, his internal condition was deteriorating rapidly. His heart had enlarged to nearly double its normal size, and his autopsy revealed advanced cardiovascular disease. Despite never having been a smoker, years of performing in smoke-filled venues had left his lungs riddled with emphysema.
The most horrifying discovery was in his bowel - it was nearly twice as long as it should have been and was filled with faecal matter that was at least four months old. The initial autopsy attributed his death to cardiac arrest, and medical examiner Dr Jerry Francisco maintained "drugs had played no part in Presley's death". However, the autopsy was re-opened in 1994. In the seven months leading up to his death, Elvis was prescribed nearly 9,000 pills, vials and injections, including stimulants, depressants and painkillers so potent they were typically administered to terminal cancer patients. Despite the second autopsy insisting drugs had played no part, doubts still linger over what led to the demise of The King of Rock and Roll.
