A mother’s grief after a son’s death is unimaginable, there’s no doubt. Lisa Marie Presley opened up about this terrible emotional pain facing with her son Benjamin Keough’s tragic death by suicide in 2020 at just 27.
In her posthumous memoir, “From Here to the Great Unknown,” Presley reveals the deeply personal and unconventional way she coped with her loss: by keeping Benjamin’s body at home for two months.
Lisa Marie Presley, the only child of Elvis Presley, was no stranger to public scrutiny and personal tragedy. However, the loss of her son brought her to a breaking point.
The Heartbreak Reason Why Lisa Marie Presley Kept Her Son’s Body At Home After His Death
In her memoir, Presley explains that she kept Benjamin’s body on dry ice in a separate bedroom at their Los Angeles home.
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This decision was driven by her need for more time to say goodbye and to come to terms with his death.
“There is no law in the state of California that you have to bury someone immediately,” Presley wrote.
She found solace in having Benjamin close, much like she did when her father passed away. Lisa Marie Presley shared that having Elvis’s body at home after his death allowed her to spend time with him and say her goodbyes, a process she wanted to replicate with Benjamin.
Although it has been a little controversial, Lisa Marie Presley and her daughter, Riley Keough, took this time to honor Benjamin in their own way.
They got matching tattoos in his memory, with Presley insisting on having hers in the exact same place as Benjamin’s.
This act of remembrance was part of their healing process, allowing them to feel connected to him even in his absence.
The room where Benjamin’s body was kept had to be maintained at a constant 55 degrees. This environment allowed Presley to care for him and gradually prepare herself for the final farewell. She described this period as a way to “still parent him” and delay the inevitable moment of laying him to rest.
Ultimately, when she found the peace she needed, Lisa Marie Presley decided to bury Benjamin at Graceland, alongside his grandfather, Elvis Presley.
This decision came after much contemplation and the extended period of mourning she allowed herself. Presley expressed gratitude for the extra time she had with Benjamin, which helped her come to terms with his death and find a semblance of peace.