Lisa Marie Presley is talking about her journey through bereavement.
In a new essay that she published on Tuesday in honor of “National Grief Awareness Day,” Presley discusses the death of her son Benjamin Keough, who was 27 years old when he took his own life in 2020.
“My life, along with the lives of my three daughters, was utterly blasted and obliterated the moment he passed away,” I said. This is our home and we do not leave. Single. Day,” she pens in her email. In spite of what some people or our culture would have us believe or what they want us to believe, grief is something that you will have to carry with you for the rest of your life. ” You do not “move on” or “get over it,” and there is no such thing as “moving on.”
Grief, according to Presley, is “very lonely,” and she writes that just “a handful” of people normally keep in contact to offer continuous support to a friend or family member who has experienced a traumatic loss. Presley’s words capture the essence of grief well.
“Unfortunately, that is a harsh reality for the majority of people. Call everyone you know who has experienced the loss of a loved one, regardless of how long it has been since the tragedy occurred, and inquire about how they are coping with the loss.
Go pay them a visit. They will enjoy it more than you realize, since it will show how much you care,” she adds.
Presley claims that being with other people who have experienced similar adversity has been a source of solace for her.
“Look for support groups that have experienced the same type of loss as you have. I travel to them, and I host them at my house for the benefit of other grieving parents,” Presley explains in her writing. “While nothing and I mean nothing at all, can take away the agony, finding support can often help you feel a little bit less alone.”
Presley says her daughters keep her going.
Presley says in the letter, “I keep going for my girls.” “I keep going because my son made it very obvious in his final moments that taking care of his little sisters and looking out for them were at the forefront of his concerns and the most important thing on his mind. So I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing.” They were completely smitten with him, and he was with them.
