Lisa Marie Presley said that she blamed herself “every single day” for her son Benjamin Keough’s death by suicide in July 2020.

In her essay published originally in People in August 2022, Presley wrote about how it is judged to be “painful” when one’s loved one dies in a “tragic or unnatural, “premature” way, especially if it is someone you loved dearly. She wrote this essay before her own death in January 2023.

Presley penned, ‘However, there will be individuals who will evaluate and criticize you as well, even covertly or in a clandestine manner, which is even more harsh and agonizing in addition to everything else.’ I already engage in a constant struggle and triumph over myself, relentlessly and persistently berating myself each and every day, and that’s already challenging to endure.

Keough passed away from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, as informed by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office, in July 2020.

Keough’s acquaintances conversed with People regarding his struggle with depression and expressed that he had experienced societal expectations to thrive in the show business due to his status as Elvis Presley’s grandson, just days following his demise.

Keough’s acquaintance, the musician Brandon Howard, mentioned to the magazine during that period that “everyone being confined indoors” and the current events, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, have caused him to occasionally struggle with depression, a serious matter.

Howard expressed his belief that the burden of being a member of the Presley family “definitely” played a role in Keough’s depression.

Howard said, “It’s a tough thing when you have a lot of pressure to be an actor, to be a musician, and to live up to an image and a name. It’s almost like you’re constantly under a lot of pressure, especially when you have a lot of pressure from your family.”

27 was Keough, the eldest child of Presley and musician Danny Keough. Riley Keough, an actor, is his sister. Presley also has twin daughters, Harper Vivienne Ann Lockwood and Finley Aaron Love Lockwood, with her former husband, Michael Lockwood.

She mentioned that she comprehended the reasons why mourning parents rapidly become secluded. Presley emphasized the point that parents who experience the loss of their children are frequently categorized as “outcasts” in her essay for People magazine.

“I understand why people may want to avoid a truly terrible tragedy, especially when a child is losing their parent. If I’m being honest, it can be your worst nightmare.”

She said that Presley wrote an essay to encourage people to talk about grief because it is an unavoidable part of life. She hoped that the words she used would reach out to the reader and trigger their emotions.

The singer described her son as the “most delightful and extraordinary individual that I have ever had the honor of acquainting with.” She mentioned that her father Elvis resembled him in many ways and this resemblance “genuinely frightened” her.

Presley passed away on January 12, 2023, following a suspected heart attack.

Her mother, Priscilla Presley, expressed in a statement, “With great sadness, I must inform you that my beloved daughter Lisa Marie has departed from this world. She embodied qualities of immense dedication, resilience, and affection, making her an exceptional woman in my eyes.”