The Final Hours: Priscilla Presley Reveals the Heartbreaking Moment Lisa Marie Presley Was Taken Off Life Support

When Lisa Marie Presley, the only child of Elvis Presley, passed away in January 2023, the world was left in shock. She was just 54 years old, and her sudden death brought an outpouring of grief from fans and the music community worldwide. For her mother, Priscilla Presley, the loss was even more devastating. In her upcoming memoir Softly, As I Leave You: Life After Elvis, Priscilla opens up about the most painful moment of her life — the final hours she spent by her daughter’s side before Lisa Marie was taken off life support.

This deeply personal revelation has captured attention around the world, offering a heartbreaking look at how the Presley family endured tragedy inside the walls of a hospital room.

Lisa Marie Presley’s Sudden Health Crisis

On January 12, 2023, Lisa Marie Presley was rushed to a hospital in Los Angeles after suffering a cardiac arrest at her home. Reports at the time revealed that emergency responders managed to regain her pulse before she was transported for further treatment. Fans held their breath, praying for a miracle.

But behind the headlines, the situation was far more serious than most realized. According to Priscilla Presley, Lisa Marie was already in critical condition when she arrived at the hospital. Doctors placed her on life support, giving the family a glimmer of hope. For a few hours, they clung to the possibility that Lisa Marie might recover.

A Mother’s Heartbreak

In her memoir, Priscilla Presley describes those moments with searing honesty. She recalls sitting next to her daughter’s bed, holding her hand, and whispering words of comfort. Despite the machines keeping Lisa Marie alive, Priscilla felt in her heart that her daughter’s spirit was slipping away.

“I knew my Lisa was gone,” she writes, reflecting on the moment she realized recovery would not come. Doctors explained that Lisa Marie’s condition was beyond saving, and it was time for the family to make a painful decision.

Priscilla describes the anguish of giving permission to remove her daughter from life support. It was a decision no mother should ever have to make. The moment Lisa Marie took her final breath, Priscilla says, she felt her entire world collapse.

Grief That Never Heals

For Priscilla, the pain of losing Lisa Marie has not faded with time. In fact, she admits that grief still lingers like an open wound. “Losing a child is not something you recover from,” she shares in the book.

Lisa Marie’s death came just two years after the suicide of her son, Benjamin Keough, in 2020. That loss had already devastated Lisa Marie, who often spoke about the unbearable grief of losing her only son. Friends close to her revealed that she was never the same afterward. In her memoir, Priscilla confirms that Benjamin’s death left Lisa Marie struggling emotionally, and at times she no longer wanted to live.

The Presley Legacy and Family Bonds

Lisa Marie Presley carried a heavy legacy as the only child of the King of Rock and Roll. Born at the height of Elvis Presley’s fame, she was instantly a part of music royalty. But along with the privilege came immense pressure. Throughout her life, Lisa Marie spoke openly about the weight of being Elvis’s daughter, her struggles with addiction, and her quest to carve out her own identity.

Despite these struggles, she remained a devoted mother to her four children: Riley Keough, Benjamin Keough, and twins Finley and Harper Lockwood. Today, her eldest daughter, actress Riley Keough, has taken on the role of steward for the Presley legacy, including managing Graceland.

Priscilla says that the family’s bond is what keeps her moving forward. She leans on her grandchildren and cherishes the memories of Lisa Marie as a mother and daughter, not just as a public figure.

Fans Around the World Still Mourn

Even more than a year after Lisa Marie’s passing, fans continue to honor her memory. At Graceland in Memphis, visitors leave flowers, photos, and heartfelt messages at her grave, which now rests alongside her father Elvis and her son Benjamin.

The Presley family has been touched by the outpouring of love. Priscilla admits that seeing how much her daughter meant to the world brings her comfort, even as she continues to process her own loss.

Priscilla Presley’s New Memoir

Priscilla Presley’s Softly, As I Leave You: Life After Elvis is more than just a book about Elvis or fame. It is a deeply human story about love, loss, and survival. For the first time, she shares the intimate details of Lisa Marie’s final hours, giving fans a heartbreaking but honest look at what it means to say goodbye to a child.

The memoir also touches on Priscilla’s own journey of grief and resilience. At 80 years old, she hopes that by sharing her story, she can help others who have faced the unimaginable pain of losing a loved one.

A Legacy of Love

Lisa Marie Presley’s death is a reminder of how fragile life is, even for those who seem larger than life. She was more than just Elvis Presley’s daughter — she was a mother, a singer, and a woman who lived with both extraordinary blessings and painful struggles.

As Priscilla Presley bravely shares her most vulnerable moments, she reminds us that behind the fame and headlines are real families, real pain, and real love.

For fans, the story of Lisa Marie’s final hours is heartbreaking, but it also sheds light on the deep love between a mother and daughter — a bond that even death cannot break.