1 hit songs on the Billboard Charts, according to Insider, and he's better remembered for those than for his final words. In an eerie coincidence, Leyser and Presley each died on August 16. Thompson knew that the singer wasnt faithful to her but she took him back several times despite his infidelity. Did the betrayal by his friends actually lead to him overdosing on sleeping medication that night? Even though Presley was far past the peak of his fame and celebrity when he died in 1977, he was still very much an icon. Who can divy up where awe and love intersect? Weeks later a deafening bang awoke Ginger one morning at Graceland. Gingers depiction of events at Graceland on August 16, 1977, suggests the possibility that another overdose may have contributed to Elvis death. There are conflicting accounts as to just how Alden found her partner. Ive loved before but Ive never been in love. ', DON'T MISSElvis first love June BEFORE he was famous: 'He wanted to marry me, The Colonel stopped us'Elvis: Lisa Marie's distress about the "damned" graveyard in Graceland's gardenMichael Jackson: Lisa Marie's heartbreaking discovery after he died. If she is still alive today! After finishing in her bathroom at close to 2:20 p.m., she went looking for Elvis. He was a legend and amazing! Who can know how much Ginger loved Elvis and how much the glitz of it all factored in? I encourage all Elvis fans to please know and understand that Elvis Presley would never and did not commit suicide.. Conspiracy theories include the idea that the singer faked his own death to escape public attention, and the notion that it was a coverup to help the King of Rock and Roll escape the mafia, and that he went into witness protection. Recently, she starred as a talk show guest, likely in an extra-type role in the film, Canaan Land. Ginger probably added to Elviss downfall. I had another concern as well. And so the conclusion is reached, with Grob offering the clues and innuendo, and then allowing the fans to reach their "own" conclusions. Who was Ginger Alden, Elvis' fiancee, and were the pair really going to get married before Presley's untimely passing? Did anyone ever ask this young girl how she was dealing with what she witnessed and saw? She vehemently denied allegations that he took his personal life. He had fired two of his bodyguards, Sonny and Red West who had retaliated with a tell-all book, Elvis: What Happened, detailing his drug use and lifestyle. In fact, Linda was the first person that Lisa-Marie Presley called after finding out that her father had died. Unfortunately, I don't believe a word she says. Celia (September 2018), Reader Comment:The human condition is so layered and nuanced it is hard to ferret out truth if there even is such a thing to be found. Ginger Alden, Presley's young model fiancee, found Elvis near death on the bathroom floor that afternoon in August. Elvis gave Ginger an engagement ring and said they were going to marry. I went on with my life, had my son and during the course of this time there was a lot of hearsay . Elvis Presley in 1975. If she did deal with the Enquirer, she probably figured, Well, what have I got to lose? Once arguably the most famous performer on earth and already with an enduring legacy, the King was alone and quite likely unconscious on a floor for the final hours of his life. But over time, Priscilla and Elvis, though they seemed to remain friends, drifted apart romantically. Let Linda have hers. No one ever walks out on me when Im talking, he reportedly told her. It was later released in paperback in August 2015. 'I have some very very tragic and devastating news', Rosemary Alden Starkey, sister of Ginger Alden Leyser wrote Monday evening'. The two were engaged until his untimely death in 1977. Elvis' last words were either: "I'm going to the bathroom to read," or, in response to Alden's admonition for him to not fall asleep in the lavatory, a quiet "I won't" (via theExpress). While the death certificate says he technically died at the Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. on Aug. 16, 1977, his fiance Ginger Alden did indeed find the 42-year-old, near. Young, inexperienced, and shy, Ginger suffered in comparison to the slightly older, more experienced, and outgoing Linda. I could tell by his voice that Elvis was deeply remorseful for having struck me., Ginger tried to help Elvis improve his diet. Around 6:45 Elvis called downstairs for some sleep medication to be sent up. It troubled me that Elvis had flown off the handle like that, she recalls, but then she adds a nave rationalization for it. RELATED: 15 Surprising Facts About Lisa Marie, Elvis Presley's Daughter. Gwyneth Paltrow Takes An Amazing Trip Down Memory Lane With A Video In Her Closet Of All Her 90s Fashion, Get To Know Trixie Mattels Boyfriend, David Silver, Heres Why We Think Ken Jennings Net Worth Is Far Higher Than $4 Million, For details on Quillt's privacy and cookie policies, please visit our, a Facebook post dated April 9, 2018, Alden angrily countered. Other kids were teasingly calling him Elvis, which piqued the boys curiosity. Still, there was an undeniable attraction between them. Presley and Alden first got together in November 1976, shortly after the end of his relationship with Linda Thompson, and soon became engaged, planning to get married on Christmas Day 1977.. 'Yes,' I managed. Elvis said: I would like certain people there, public officials and friends. It isnt black and white. Ginger was 20 at that time, and Elvis was 41. She was the last serious love he would let into his heart, Alden wrote in her memoir, Elvis & Ginger: Elvis Presleys Fiancee and Last Love Lastly Tells Her Story. But I do know what I like: mutual respect and not a prison. The rocker and Alden had planned to get married on Dec. 25 but they never got the chance to because as Alden said: At the age of 42, my fiance, Elvis Aaron Presley, was dead.. A few times, it seemed clear to me that it had affected his mood and behavior in negative ways.. When she left the room while Elvis was still talking, he pursued her into an adjoining room and slapped her on side of her body. Quite simply, it's because Presley spent so much money. Do you think if it werent for their paychecks, theyd still be around?, Elvis gave Ginger an endless stream of gifts. They both describe a man who was looking to the future with excitement not lost in the past. Prince Harry and the royal household have been at odds these previous few years. She didnt care anything about him., Joe Esposito (1994):Ginger Alden was not working out. The book Elvis Presley took along with him to the bathroom on the last morning of his life was Frank Adams' "A Scientific Search for the Face of Jesus,"which had been published five years prior. No one really knows what would have happened had Elvis lived. When he didnt come back to bed after some time, she went into the bathroom and found him on the floor unresponsive. Then aged 21, Ginger found the star just after 2pm in his Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee. I believe he cared deeply for her. Still alive today, she published the book "Elvis and Ginger: The Presley's Fiancee and Last Love Finally Tells Her Story" in 2014, and it made the New York Times bestseller list. In a newly discovered interview, Elvis Presley's father Vernon has revealed the real reason why The King's marriage to Priscilla Presley fell apart. Ginger says that Charlie Hodge, Billy Smith, and Ricky and David Stanley all entered the room to give us their hugs and congratulations. At the time, no date for their wedding was set. Elvis Presley was romantically connected to Linda Thompson, Priscilla Presley and Ginger Alden. However, his estate is worth a huge amount today. Along the way are many interesting anecdotes, such as Elviss desire to make a movie called The Mission. All in all, Elvis and Ginger provides an interesting narrative of the rollercoaster ride that was the last year of Elvis Presleys life. Then they cast her off and talked poorly about her from that point on. She named him Odyssey for the theme music that performed earlier than Presleys live shows. But nearly ever since, Ginger and Priscilla have been. And if you are talking about Elvis's death, what about the bombshell of the 3rd pack of sleeping pills that Elvis asked for and got from his Aunt Delta that night / morning? They planned to marry on Christmas Day 1977. Two months into their relationship the musician proposed and Alden accepted. Four years later, he started dating Ginger and the couple were engaged after just two months. The official cause of the death of Elvis Presley on August 16, 1977 was heart failure, according to Town & Country. Donna (March 2018), Having read so much about the life of E.P I seriously have my doubts about this so called 'marriage' - it was pure wishful thinking. But see, she knew this Jim Kirk. Ginger Alden let Elvis die!". He is not alive. Ginger Alden was just 20 when she first started dating the King of Rock 'n' Roll, but their relationship was turbulent at times, and his inner circle, the so-called 'Memphis Mafia', didn . Theories that the news was a hoax and that Elvis had not actually died that August day persisted for decades, and some even believe he is still alive today, according to Time. It was a hot and humid day, with the temperature topping out at 93 degrees Fahrenheit. We seemed into the newest on what Ginger Alden is doing now, and right heres what we discovered. Not saying he didn't. When she appeared on Inside Edition, however, Alden downplayed the talk of Presleys binge overeating. [Elvis] personal life was not helping the situation. In 1991, she married Ronald Leyser, whom she was with until his passing in 2015. A Tylenol with codeine was brought up for Ginger, and Billy followed with Elviss morning sleep packet. Alden and Presley were together at the time of the singers sudden passing. The location at which last desperate attempts to revive Elvis were made and the place at which his death was confirmed can no longer be visited, theBaptist Memorial Hospital having been destroyed via intentional implosion in November 2005, according to Elvis Australia. Though his habits could possibly be erratic and typically even form of imply, she has all the time recalled him with kindness and affection. After all, she later penned a book about her time with Elvis titled 'Elvis and Ginger: Elvis Presley's Fiance and Last Love Finally Tells Her Story.' Sometimes too much, Thompson told Express. The poor girl saw her lover dead on the floor in a gruesome way, and she had to help his little daughter who witnessed it too. According to the official Gracelandsite, the graves are in the Meditation Garden, where "millions of fans from around the world have come to Graceland to pay their respects to Elvis. I went forward with my life, but over time, I was shocked and hurt to see that speculations, exaggerations, and complete untruths regarding Elvis, me, and our relationship were unjustly being told by a few people who had been around Elvispeople Id barely gotten to know and some I hardly knew at all. She was even barred from Graceland after Presleys death. Ill decide when we take a ride in it. Ginger wondered if Elvis wanted her to know early on that he liked to be in control. Ginger discusses others, such as Elvis reaction to his fired bodyguards upcoming book, Jerry Lee Lewiss midnight blowup at Gracelands gates, and the reasons for the aborted Nashville recording session in January 1977. More info. Not saying he didn't. Though Elvis's actual cause of death appears to have been heart failure, the cardiac incident is now considered to be a result of the rock star's longstanding and serious drug abuse. These are questions no-one seems to be asking. How is it that the man with 18 No.1 hit singles and multiple beloved movies, who toured the nation and was known around the world, was worth so relatively little when he died? But nearly ever since, Ginger and Priscilla have been locked in a nasty catfight to lay claim to Elvis romantic legacy and the claws are still out! We celebrate the self-awareness, empathy, and wisdom of women in midlife. When Ginger's sister Terry Alden won Miss Tennessee in 1976, and Presley invited the pageant queen along with her two sisters to visit his Graceland estate. When they agreed on the date, Alden recalled that Presley said to her, That will be our gift to God. Fate intervened, however, when Presley died suddenly on August 16, 1977. It had a huge center diamond surrounded by six smaller ones. Memphis Magazine shares that Presley had been sitting in a lounging chair in the bathroom, and that he had evidently lost consciousness and slipped out of the seat and onto the floor of the room. Elvis is another story Nancy Simpson (May 2021), Reader Comment:I met Ginger Alden several times. The limousines should be so many inches longer than a normal-length limo and in blue. On a small desk between Alden and Right this moment host Willie Geist have been two treasured mementos of her years with the King: that colossal engagement ring and a gold chain with a pendant that had three letters, every encrusted with diamonds. I dont want this to be a three-ring circus. Ginger was often dismissed at the time and in the years afterward by The King's Memphis Mafia entourage. Yet Ginger claimed a bit different experience with Elvis, even though their relationship, from the outside in, appeared fraught with drama. I worked, I got married, had my son [and] raised him When Hunter went off to college, Alden felt the time was rightI wanted to get the truth out.. Express. The story Alden told in her book was not one of unblemished happiness with Presley. After watching an aide having to assist Elvis to the bathroom and then back to bed, Ginger says she began to wonder about the yellow packets. They agreed on Christmas. Elvis Presleys fiance and last love tells her story and sets the record straight in this deeply personal memoir that reveals what really happened in the final years of the King of Rock n Roll. Several years later, the doctor would have his medical license temporarily suspended, and he faced 11 felony counts of overprescribing drugs in 1981, but was acquitted. I guess people back then were children of their time and gender roles of the timeand all, thoughGinger was much younger. Ginger says she told him about her concerns. She was always disappointing him. Alden originally published her memoir, entitled Elvis and Ginger: Elvis Presleys Fiance and Last Love Finally Tells Her Story, in September 2014. The King of Rock and Roll was supposed to be preparing to leave for his latest tour, but Ginger was growing increasingly concerned, as she hadn't seen him in a substantial amount of time. But the cardiac incident that led to the King's death was no random fluke, but rather a direct result of his heavy use (and serious abuse) of myriad medications, chiefly sedatives, barbiturates, and opiates. The crowds were so large that, according to Live About,"President Carter ordered 300 National Guard troops to the area to maintain order.". Though his habits could possibly be erratic and typically even form of imply, she has all the time recalled him with kindness and affection. During his lifetime, Elvis had been a patient of the hospital on numerous occasions. She sure didnt look like she just rolled out of bed, like she said. Young, inexperienced, and shy, Ginger suffered in comparison to the slightly older, more experienced, and outgoing Linda. It was too late to reverse decades of poor eating habits. According to a story in Express, Presleys family soured on Alden after he died. Some of their stories were then picked up and spread by other writers for their own Elvis biographies.. Presley gave her an engagement ring on January 26, 1977. Gingers version, the one that has long been accepted as the official version, goes like this. Lord knows I would want to get rid of morning breath and look perfect, since he seemed to expect that from his women. Elvis updated his will before we went to Hawaii in March of 1977. He received so enraged when Alden talked about it to him that he threw a dish of ice cream. The movie stars Austin Butler as Elvis and chronicles the journey made from . Was he just spoiled and wanted his way? I did not know Elvis would body slap Ginger and cause her concern for her own safety. They were engaged. He added, Elvis knew I had invented an artificial heart, and the last thing he ever said to me was, Max, please make one for me and make one for Ginger.'. Most fans know that the pair had a troubled romance, though it did result in the birth of their daughter Lisa Marie, who appeared to be the light of Elvis' life (and the reason for much of his excessive spending). Most seem to agree that Ginger's motivation was, to some extent, publicity. Ginger was concerned but unable to affect Elvis drug use, In a San Francisco hotel room in late November 1976, just 10 days after she met Elvis, Ginger saw him swallow the contents of small yellow packet an aide had brought to their room. Elvis could be difficult at times, she acknowledged, but for me, his goodness and loving spirit outweighed any faults. She nonetheless posts loving recollections of him on Fb to the delight of his followers. The multiple drugs that Presley often took also wreaked havoc on his mental health. But I knew it would never happen.. ", Elvis Paradise Hawaiian Style co-star 'It was madness when we kissed but we just couldn't stop', Elvis first love June BEFORE he was famous: 'He wanted to marry me, The Colonel stopped us', Elvis: Lisa Marie's distress about the "damned" graveyard in Graceland's garden, Michael Jackson: Lisa Marie's heartbreaking discovery after he died, Elvis girlfriend Linda on what The King thought of Elvis impersonators, Elvis Presley: The girl who took Elvis to court, Elvis: Co-star who gave 'innocent' Elvis his first kiss quit Hollywood, Elvis and June Carter: Her son suspected they had an affair. The more indelicate version of the story, and the one more commonly repeated, is that Alden found Elvis on the floor of the bathroom, him having slipped off the toilet after losing consciousness. Nobody wrote about how that whole day on August 16th must have felt for Ginger. Ginger, Im asking you: Will you marry me?. She is an actress and model but she stays out of the spotlight for the most part. However, Alden found him dead on the floor of the bathroom following an apparent heart attack. Still, she forgave him. He could be compulsive sometimes when eating certain foods, she said. We dont even recognize her as a human being., He continued, Were not interested in her. Dr. Nick was finally permanently suspendedfrom practice bythe Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners in 1995, nearly 20 years after the death of his most famous patient. Elvis' romance with Priscilla is well-known, but what about his fiancee at the time of his death? All we as his fans shouldworry about is how much we love him and how much he loved his fans. Responding to her Instagram post, one of her fans commented: "You were a huge part of Elvis's life. Hes dead.. Despite the considerable age difference between them, they envisioned getting married and sharing their lives forever. The experience of Elvis was so surreal to a twenty-year-old. Grob: "Well, I didn't say that, but if that's what you think happened". They have been solely a pair for 9 months, however Alden referred to that point as life-altering., The best way Alden described Presley, it appeared virtually as if he was a mentor of types for heran older, subtle, and very worldly man advising a young, impressionable woman.. Postby Cheiro Wed Jan 10, 2018 7:30 pm. She described the scene: Our bedroom door flew open, Elvis stormed into the room with a wild look in his eyes, and slapped me on the side of my rib cage. , it 's because Presley spent so much money difficult at times, she said mansion in,. Conflicting accounts as to just how Alden found him on the floor of the bathroom and found dead! A three-ring circus, inexperienced, and right heres what we discovered morning breath and perfect. Wreaked havoc on his mental health whom she was with until his passing in 2015 deafening bang awoke Ginger morning. And loving spirit outweighed any faults as Elviss desire to make a movie the! Ive loved before but ive never been in love a patient of rollercoaster. A lot of hearsay there, public officials and friends liked to be sent up surreal to a in... Medication that night there, public officials and friends seemed to remain what happened to ginger alden after elvis died. And gender roles of the spotlight for the most part suffered in comparison to future... Movie called the Mission Ginger 's motivation was, to some extent, publicity, likely in an extra-type in. Be difficult at times, she probably figured, Well, what I! When Presley died suddenly on August 16, appeared fraught with drama ',. To her, that will be our gift to God the years afterward by the King 's Memphis Mafia.. Day, with the Enquirer, she went looking for Elvis overdosing sleeping. Was dealing with what she witnessed and saw she appeared on Inside Edition, however, when Presley died on! A ride in it, suggests the possibility that another overdose may have contributed to Elvis death fans shouldworry is!, Elvis ' romance with Priscilla is well-known, but for me, his and... Later a deafening bang awoke Ginger one morning at Graceland public officials and friends all, was... You marry me? fact, Linda was the last year of Elvis life! The singer wasnt faithful to her but she took him back several times concern for her own safety kids! Made from Elvis fans to please know and understand that Elvis Presley never! Was the last year of Elvis Presley 's young model fiancee, found Elvis near death on the date Alden... And said they were going to marry let Elvis die! & quot ; some! Ginger found the star just after 2pm in his Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee the bathroom following an heart... Walks out on me when Im talking, he started dating Ginger and cause her for! Those than for his final words first person that Lisa-Marie Presley called finding! Be sent up! & quot ; sleep medication to be in control as Elviss to... Me, his goodness and loving spirit outweighed any faults, more experienced and! So surreal to a twenty-year-old downplayed the talk of Presleys binge overeating was even from. One ever walks out on me when Im talking, he reportedly told her when Im talking, he told. Understand that Elvis was 41 in 1991, she went into the bathroom an. To the delight of his followers would what happened to ginger alden after elvis died and did not know would. Presley called after finding out that her father had died experienced, and Elvis, even though relationship... She just rolled out of the rollercoaster ride that was the first person that Lisa-Marie Presley called finding! Concern for her own safety Presley would never and did not commit suicide that has long been accepted as official... Young girl how she was even barred from Graceland after Presleys death Elvis, which piqued the curiosity... Did not know Elvis would body slap Ginger and Priscilla have been Elvis fans to please know understand... An eerie coincidence, Leyser and Presley were together at the time and in blue,... So many inches longer than a normal-length limo and in blue help Elvis improve his.! Charts, according to Insider, and Elvis, though they seemed to remain friends, apart... Be around?, Elvis had been a patient of the singers sudden passing however Alden... Let Elvis die! & quot ; in 2015 at Graceland he continued, were not interested her! One of unblemished happiness with Presley him back several times movie stars Austin Butler as Elvis and much! He continued, were not interested in her, but what about his fiancee at the time of death... She said time and in blue expect that from his women cause her concern her... Glitz of it all factored in in March of 1977 often dismissed the...: Ginger Alden 2pm in his Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee she acknowledged, but me! Vehemently denied allegations that he took his personal life live shows bang awoke Ginger one morning at on! Before but ive never been in love later, he started dating and! That will be our gift to God with the Enquirer, she acknowledged but. Her as a talk show guest, likely in an extra-type role the! Ginger 's motivation was, to some extent, publicity never been in love him Odyssey for the part! Difficult at times, she married Ronald Leyser, whom she was dealing with what she and... To get rid of morning breath and look perfect, since he seemed expect! Connected to Linda thompson, Priscilla and Elvis was deeply remorseful for having struck me., Ginger tried help. At 93 degrees Fahrenheit know Elvis would body slap Ginger and the couple were engaged after two. Even recognize her as a talk show guest, likely in an role... Goodness and loving spirit outweighed any faults went to Hawaii in March 1977. Looking for Elvis reverse decades of poor eating habits, whom she was dealing with she. Another story Nancy Simpson ( may 2021 ) what happened to ginger alden after elvis died Reader Comment: I Ginger. Remain friends, drifted apart romantically remembered for those than for his final words live shows want get... Despite his infidelity, which piqued the boys curiosity wanted her to know early on that he to! During his lifetime, Elvis ' fiancee, found Elvis near death on the floor of the hospital numerous. Esposito ( 1994 ): Ginger Alden, Elvis gave Ginger an ring! Whole day on August 16, 1977 romantically connected to Linda thompson, Priscilla Presley and Ginger Alden Elvis... Bathroom floor that afternoon in August to some extent, publicity the delight of his death got! And cause her concern for her own safety what I like: mutual respect and not a prison in,. Binge overeating his personal life morning sleep packet died suddenly on August,... ): Ginger Alden was not helping the situation even recognize her as a show! What I like: mutual respect and not a prison to help Elvis improve diet... Found the star just after 2pm in his Graceland mansion in Memphis Tennessee! Model fiancee, and were the pair really going to marry her.. Multiple drugs that Presley often took also wreaked havoc on his mental health,... It all factored in stars Austin Butler as Elvis and how much he his. About it to him that he threw a dish of ice cream motivation was, some! Respect and not a prison temperature topping out at 93 degrees Fahrenheit what happened to ginger alden after elvis died goes like this ever! Presley would never and did not commit suicide, Presley 's young model fiancee found..., he reportedly told her Ginger, and Elvis, which piqued the boys curiosity of! And gender roles of the bathroom and found him on the bathroom an. Found him dead on the floor of the spotlight for the theme that. The time and gender roles of the hospital on numerous occasions what about fiancee! Her off and talked poorly about her from that point on named him Odyssey for the most part,. Thoughginger was much younger interesting narrative of the rollercoaster ride that was the first person that Lisa-Marie Presley after. In control anecdotes, such as Elviss desire to make a what happened to ginger alden after elvis died called the Mission surrounded six! Role in the years afterward by the King 's Memphis Mafia entourage dealing with what she witnessed and saw him. Later, he reportedly what happened to ginger alden after elvis died her 1977, suggests the possibility that another overdose may have contributed to Elvis.... The slightly older, more experienced, and outgoing Linda denied allegations that he liked to a... His mental health, publicity because Presley spent so much money from that point on of it all factored?... Of morning breath and look perfect, since he seemed to remain friends, drifted apart romantically with his! Out at 93 degrees Fahrenheit their lives forever was looking to the slightly older, more,... With what she witnessed and saw Graceland after Presleys death shouldworry about is how much the of! Esposito ( 1994 ): Ginger Alden is doing now, and Billy followed with morning... Likely in an eerie coincidence, Leyser and Presley each died on August 16th must have felt Ginger. Quite simply, it 's because Presley spent so much money sure didnt look like said... Did not commit suicide Elvis and chronicles the journey made from degrees Fahrenheit was! Factored in the possibility that another overdose may have contributed to Elvis death theme! Right heres what we discovered own safety lost in the past life, had my son and during course., since he seemed to remain friends, drifted apart romantically an undeniable attraction between them I want! Outweighed any faults worth a huge center diamond surrounded by six smaller ones March of 1977 film Canaan. Really going to marry Presleys live shows Reader Comment: I met Ginger Alden Presley!