Kaylah Walton
In her latest memoir titled From Here to the Great Unknown, Lisa Marie Presley shares her heart-wrenching sorrow following the tragic loss of her son, Benjamin Keough. She reveals her shocking choice to keep his remains at home for two months after he passed away.
Lisa Marie’s deep sorrow after Benjamin’s death
Benjamin, who sadly took his own life at the age of 27 in 2020, was preserved on dry ice in a separate bedroom at Lisa Marie’s residence in Los Angeles.
Presley, daughter of the legendary Elvis Presley, mentioned in her memoir that this decision provided her with extra time to say farewell.
“I kept Ben Ben in a separate casita bedroom for two months,” she stated.
“In California, there are no laws mandating immediate burial.”
She noted that having her son nearby helped her handle the immense loss, recalling a similar experience when her father, Elvis, was also kept at home before burial.
“After my dad died, having him in the house was immensely comforting; I could visit and speak with him,” Presley remembered, highlighting the understanding of a compassionate funeral home director who let her keep Benjamin’s body at home as long as she needed.
Her daughter, actress Riley Keough, also commented on this decision. “My brother was on dry ice,” Keough stated in the book, reiterating their mother’s struggle with deciding whether to bury Benjamin in Hawaii or at Graceland.
This extended time allowed Presley to grieve and process her emotions at her own speed.
“Grieving is often rushed,” she expressed, feeling grateful for the opportunity to “still parent him” prior to his burial.
Although her choice might appear unconventional, Presley confessed, “I became so accustomed to caring for him and having him there… It would terrify anyone else.”
Tattoos as a tribute to Benjamin
While mourning Benjamin’s loss, Presley and Keough chose to honor him with tattoos.
They inked Benjamin’s name, reflecting how he had their names tattooed on himself.
During the tattoo session, Presley even displayed the tattoo from Benjamin’s arm, lifting his hand to ensure precise replication.
Keough expressed her surprise, stating: “I’ve experienced profoundly bizarre moments in life, but this is among the top five.”
Ultimately, Presley chose to lay Benjamin to rest at Graceland, beside his grandfather, Elvis.
His sister Riley included a pair of Benjamin’s favorite yellow sneakers in his casket as a final farewell.
Lisa Marie Presley’s memoir, which was completed posthumously by Riley after her mother’s unexpected passing in January 2023, provides a personal insight into Presley’s battle with loss and her life’s hidden struggles.
Riley Keough hopes that the memoir portrays a more rounded representation of Lisa Marie: “What my mother aimed to achieve in her memoir, and what I hope I’ve accomplished in finishing it, is…to reveal her as a multi-dimensional human being: an exceptional mother, a wild spirit, a loyal friend, an overlooked artist, honest, witty, traumatized, joyful, and grieving.”
