Lisa Marie Presley’s grief after the death of her son, Benjamin Keough, was profound and unconventional, as revealed in her posthumous memoir From Here to the Great Unknown. Following Benjamin’s tragic suicide in July 2020, Presley kept his body on dry ice in her home for two months. Presley’s daughter, Riley Keough, who co-wrote the memoir, shared intimate details of the period in the family’s Los Angeles home, describing the dark yet deeply emotional process her mother undertook.
The decision to keep Benjamin's body at home was an attempt by Lisa Marie to say her final goodbyes in her own time. She admitted it might seem strange to others, but it was an essential part of her grieving process. Presley had experienced a similar need when her father, Elvis Presley, passed away in 1977.
Lisa Marie Presley’s Memoir Reveals That She Kept Son’s Body on Ice. Join the #AINews revolution. #TruthSeekers #NewsGPT #ShareTheTruth pic.twitter.com/ypqgkietZw
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She explained that having her father's body close allowed her to process his death more personally. Lisa Marie sought the same experience with her son, Benjamin, keeping his body in a casitas room at 55 degrees to preserve it while deciding on burial arrangements.
According to Riley, her mother took meticulous care of Benjamin’s body, unsure whether to bury him at Graceland alongside Elvis or in Hawaii, where Benjamin spent much of his youth. This uncertainty prolonged the grieving period, as Lisa Marie felt she was still "parenting" him during this time. Eventually, the decision was made to bury Benjamin at Graceland.
Finished Lisa Marie & Riley’s book in under 4 hrs. Riley did such a good job with it, knowing what to focus on or not & to be as honest as her mother about her mother. Lisa’s voice shines through in the strong forceful beautiful way it did in real life. I haven’t stopped crying. pic.twitter.com/GmJlplHXu4
— Camilla (@Camilla_33) October 8, 2024
A particularly haunting moment from the memoir recounts when Lisa Marie invited a tattoo artist to the home. Both she and Riley wanted to get matching tattoos in Benjamin's honor, similar to those Benjamin had of their names on his body.
When the tattoo artist asked for pictures of Benjamin’s tattoos, Lisa Marie instead took him into the room where her son’s body was stored, showing the tattoos in person. Riley reflected on the moment as one of the more surreal and absurd experiences of her life.
Riley also shared that after they completed the tattoos, the family began to feel that Benjamin wanted to be laid to rest. They collectively sensed his presence telling them that it was time to move on. In October 2020, after months of uncertainty, Benjamin was finally buried at Graceland, where Lisa Marie herself would eventually be laid to rest following her own death in January 2023.
Lisa Marie’s decision to keep Benjamin’s body at home was not only an expression of her profound grief but also a reflection of her struggle to let go. As she detailed in her memoir, there are no laws in California that require an immediate burial, allowing her to prolong her farewell until she was emotionally ready.
