At 80 years old, Priscilla Presley is stepping into one of the most defining moments of her life. With her new memoir “Softly, as I Leave You: Life After Elvis” set for release on September 23, she is taking back control of her story on her terms. The book is not only a reflection on her life after the King of Rock ’n’ Roll but also a raw and unflinching account of unimaginable grief, resilience, and healing.
Priscilla’s most heartbreaking chapter is the loss of her daughter Lisa Marie Presley, who died in January 2023 at the age of 54. For Priscilla, the tragedy was only matched by the death of Elvis in 1977. “It was the second saddest day of my life, other than losing Elvis,” she shares.
In a deeply personal excerpt shared by People, Priscilla recalls the moment in the hospital when she realized Lisa Marie’s spirit had already left. Surrounded by family, she faced an impossible decision no mother should ever have to make: allowing the machines keeping her daughter alive to be turned off. The grief was so consuming that nurses prepared her cousin to catch her when she collapsed from the shock.
Navigating Layered Loss
This wasn’t Priscilla’s first experience with devastating loss. In 2020, her grandson Benjamin Keough, Lisa Marie’s son, died by suicide at 27. The pain of losing him was another crushing blow to the Presley family. Priscilla candidly admits that there were days she wasn’t sure how to carry on.
© Bryan SteffyYet, she also writes about moments of unexpected light, which include supporting her son Navarone through recovery from drug addiction, watching him emerge from darkness into sobriety, and celebrating the life of her granddaughter Riley Keough, who has become a pillar of strength in the family.
Finding Hope in the Next Generation
Priscilla’s joy now comes from watching Riley thrive, both in her career and as a mother. Riley and her husband Ben Smith-Petersen have given Priscilla two great-grandchildren, including their daughter Tupelo, now three. “That’s what makes me happy: knowing everyone is doing well,” Priscilla says.
Her role as matriarch has shifted. Where once she was the young woman trying to navigate life alongside Elvis Presley, she is now the keeper of her family’s stories, determined to preserve their legacy while also healing from its tragedies.
A Memoir of Strength and Survival
“Softly, as I Leave You” shows Priscilla’s endurance. She does not shy away from painful details, nor does she sugarcoat the reality of grief. Instead, she offers readers a rare glimpse into the private battles she has fought behind the Presley name.
© BettmannBy writing this book, Priscilla is reclaiming her voice after decades of being cast in the shadow of others’ narratives. She is no longer just Elvis’s ex-wife, or Lisa Marie’s mother, or Riley’s grandmother. She is a woman who has endured love, heartbreak, fame, loss, and reinvention, and she’s still standing.
Her memoir is both a goodbye and a declaration of survival. It is about finding the strength to let go and the courage to move forward, even when the past is unbearably heavy.
“Softly, as I Leave You: Life After Elvis” will be released on September 23 and is available for preorder now.
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