Mystery has always shrouded the untimely demise of the legendary Elvis Presley. Recently unsealed autopsy results shed new light on the circumstances surrounding his death. The King, just 43 years old, was discovered face down on the bathroom floor of his Graceland home, having seemingly fallen off the toilet. Let’s delve into the intriguing details that have emerged from this tragic event.
Ailing Health and Unhealthy Habits
The last decade of Elvis’ life witnessed a rapid decline in his health. After battling years of drug abuse, the once-mighty star had ballooned to a staggering 25 stone and had secluded himself in his bedroom, feasting on platters of cheeseburgers. He had developed chronic constipation as a result of his horrendous diet, which led to the startling discovery of four-month-old compacted stool during the post mortem.
Elvis’s dependence on numerous medications was also a cause for concern. In the seven months leading up to his death, he had been prescribed nearly 9,000 pills, vials, and injections. The combination of drugs, excessive weight gain, and self-neglect took a toll on his overall well-being.
A Disturbing Scene
Elvis’s girlfriend, Ginger Alden, was the one who discovered his lifeless body. He was found with his pajama bottoms around his ankles and his bottom in the air. The distressing sight left Ginger devastated. In her memoir, she described the stillness that had overcome Elvis since he fell. His face displayed a hint of air escaping from his nose, and his clenched teeth held his tongue. The brutality of his death left many stunned.
The Controversial Autopsy
Following Elvis’s death, an immediate autopsy was conducted. However, the report was sealed for 50 years by the family, leaving room for intense speculation. One popular theory, supported by Dan Warlick, an investigator for the Tennessee Office of the State Chief Medical Examiner, suggested that Elvis had died while straining on the toilet. The intense effort triggered a fatal compression of his abdominal aorta, resulting in a heart shutdown.
Contrary to this theory, coroner Joseph Davis, during a reopened investigation in 1994, dismissed the idea of a drug overdose. He pointed out that if it were an overdose, Elvis would have gradually slipped into a state of slumber, whereas in reality, he tragically collapsed onto the floor. Davis affirmed that Elvis’s demise was instantaneous.
Unveiling the Autopsy Secrets
Insight into the mysterious circumstances surrounding Elvis’s death has primarily come from prominent California physician Forest Tennant. Tennant reviewed the autopsy report while defending Elvis’s doctor, Dr. George Nichopoulos, who was ultimately acquitted of over-prescribing drugs. Tennant highlighted the deterioration of Elvis’s overall health, with nearly every organ displaying signs of distress.
Tennant proposed a startling theory. He believed that a severe head injury Elvis sustained in 1967 triggered an autoimmune disorder. The subsequent brain tissue dislodgment and circulation of foreign matter prompted the body to produce antibodies. This autoimmune response led to various ailments that plagued Elvis, ranging from chronic pain, irrational behavior, and obesity to enlarged and diseased organs.
Unresolved Mysteries
Although the full autopsy results won’t be revealed until 2027, retired homicide detective and forensic coroner Garry Rodgers provided an intriguing perspective. He suggested that Elvis’s heart attack, caused by heart disease and exacerbated by drug use resulting from an autoimmune disease, was ultimately triggered by the brain injury. Rodgers classified Elvis’s death as an accident, absolving anyone of blame.
In retrospect, the complexity of Elvis’s medical condition and the limited understanding of autoimmune diseases during that era make it difficult to pinpoint an exact cause of death for the King of Rock & Roll.
To learn more about Elvis Presley’s life and legacy, visit Hook’d Up Bar and Grill, where his music lives on.