Lisa Marie Presley, Daughter of Elvis and Priscilla Dead at 54 | Her Mom Remembers Her as a “Strong and Loving Woman”

Lisa Marie Presley, the iconic singer-songwriter herself, and the only child of Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley, has died. She was 54."It is with a heavy heart that I must share the devastating news that my beautiful daughter Lisa Marie has left us," Priscilla confirmed in a statement to PEOPLE on the evening of January 12, Thursday.

She further stated, "She was the most passionate strong and loving woman I have ever known. We ask for privacy as we try to deal with this profound loss. Thank you for the love and prayers. At this time there will be no further comment." Just two days before her passing, Lisa Marie attended the 2023 Golden Globes with mom Priscilla and Elvis star Austin Butler. She was rushed to the hospital on Thursday evening for a possible cardiac arrest. 

Lisa Marie was born on February 1, 1968, exactly nine months after Elvis and Priscilla's wedding. She moved from Memphis, Tennessee, where she was born to Los Angeles at age 4 with her mother following her parents' 1973 divorce. She lost her father Elvis in 1977.

"He'd always wake me up to sing in the middle of the night, get on the table and sing," Lisa Marie recalled of her time with Elvis on Good Morning America in 2009. "I remember him as my dad, but he was a very exciting dad."

In October 1988, Lisa Marie married a Chicago-based musician, Danny Keough. The couple welcomed two children: daughter Riley in 1989 and son Benjamin in 1992. After five and a half years of marriage, the couple split in May 1994.

Less than a month later, she married singer Michael Jackson. She had first met the King of Pop at one of her late father's Las Vegas concerts. At the time, she was 7 and he was still a member of the Jackson Five. "I am very much in love with Michael, I dedicate my life to being his wife. I understand and support him," read a statement from Lisa Marie at the time. "We both look forward to raising a family." Two years later, Lisa Marie and Jackson ended their relationship.

Lisa Marie later engaged Hawaiian-born musician John Oszajca in the year 2000 but ended the relationship after meeting actor Nicolas Cage the same year. On the 25th anniversary of Elvis' death, Lisa Marie and Cage wed in a secret ceremony only to split four months later. She also has twins daughters with Michael Lockwood who she married in 2006 before splitting in 2016.

Lisa Marie was a very loving and protective mother. Her son Benjamin died by suicide on July 12, 2020, which left her devastated. He was just 27 years old at the time. Lisa Marie's rep had said, "She adored that boy. He was the love of her life." On Benjamin's 28th birthday, Lisa Marie wrote, "My beautiful beautiful angel, I worshipped the ground you walked on, on this earth and now in Heaven," she penned and continued, "My heart and soul went with you." Writing about the grief she has been dealing with ever since his death and the struggle of overcoming it, she continued, "The depth of the pain is suffocating and bottomless without you every moment of every day." She added, "Please wait for me my love, and hold my hand while I stay to continue to protect and raise your little sisters and to be here for Riley."

References:

https://people.com/music/lisa-marie-presley-dead-at-54/

https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/VivaLasVegas/story?id=3486750&page=1

Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Christopher Polk