Traverse
City, MI, July 25, 2022 — New research sheds light on the story of Elvis’
flawed DNA and chronic illnesses. For the first time, a research-backed
explanation of why the world lost Elvis on August 16, 1977, is offered. The
news reports of the day painted him as bloated and unconscious on his bathroom
floor, leaving devastated fans with a graphic, tarnished final image of their
shiny idol from Tupelo. Toxicology reports confirmed that he was overloaded
with prescription medications — just another cliché, a rock star who popped one
too many pills. Those assumptions have plagued the story of Elvis Presley for
decades.
Historian
and author Sally Hoedel, however, doesn’t see Elvis as a cautionary tale of
self-destruction. Instead, she sees a man who struggled, every day, to survive.
First, Elvis struggled through extreme poverty. Then, he struggled through
extreme fame like no one had experienced before. Finally, he struggled with
disease and disorder in nine of the eleven systems of the body. Five of those
disease processes, Hoedel finds, were present from birth. She expertly puts all
of this into historical context, pointing out differences in medical treatments
and protocols for the time. Additionally, the family tree is shown to have the
same ailments leading to short lives for Elvis’ mother and three of his uncles,
all on the maternal side of the family. With the lack of longevity in Elvis’
family, his death at age 42 is no longer a coincidence and has an explanation.
In
her compelling, thought-provoking release, Elvis:
Destined to Die Young, Hoedel
offers factual and scientific data, plus never-before-published information she
gained by interviewing people who personally knew Elvis, to dive deep into his
struggles with multiple chronic health conditions. Having access to various medical
records and relationships with Elvis’ nursing staff was also invaluable.
Hoedel
examines Elvis Presley — devoted son, husband, father and friend — while
plowing through the negative hype and legendary myths surrounding the man.
Elvis’ downward spiral of health struggles is intertwined with his life story.
Her extensive research provides answers to lingering questions about his death
and dispels the long-held theory that abuse of prescription drugs is what
killed Elvis. Readers may be surprised to learn that, based on Elvis Presley’s
family history and the genes he was dealt, nothing could have saved the King of
Rock ‘n’ Roll. The result is a totally fresh, unique, humanizing approach to
Elvis.
“It
was clear that the more he toured, the more medication he would need to
function through the very real ailments. Toward the end, even the medication
wasn’t enough,” said Hoedel. “A new tour would start, and Elvis would be fresh
and ready to go, but after a week he would be right back where he started and
need more medication to sustain the schedule.”
Bodyguard
Ed Parker said, “Elvis was like a battery that had been drained too many times.
His body could no longer hold a charge.”
All
the while, Elvis had close to 100 people relying on him, from family to friends
to employees. Memphis Mafia member Lamar Fike begged Elvis to quit touring
after Elvis complained of fatigue and pain. Elvis replied, “I have to make
payroll.”
“I
wrote this book because I genuinely believe this is a story that Elvis would
want known,” Hoedel said. “He needed to be a strong American male while he was
alive, and he hid his pain and his body’s weaknesses. Yet, he always knew he
was just like everyone else: human. I believe he would be OK with everyone now
understanding just how human he was. He struggled but he tried. My only hope
for this labor of love is that it makes someone stop and think about Elvis just
a little bit differently. He deserves it.”
To
date, Elvis: Destined to Die
Young has won two awards. It was named the Best Nonfiction Book of
the year at the Pencraft Book Awards and the Best Regional Nonfiction Book at
the Independent Publisher Book Awards.
Larry
Geller, long-time friend and hairstylist to the King said, “Grappling with and
creating a wholistic picture of one such as Elvis Presley is no small task, and
Sally has made a meticulous and intelligently crafted contribution.”
Rose
Clayton Phillips, co-author of Elvis
Up Close and The
King and Dr. Nick, said, “Elvis:
Destined To Die Young is an earnest examination of how the genetic
profiles of Elvis Presley and his parents interacted to abruptly end Elvis’
life. Author Sally A. Hoedel in an admirable quest to uncover the true causes
of Elvis’ relentless pain and untimely death, has penned an intriguing book to
dispel decades of rumors about Elvis’ demise. Hoedel has mastered an enormous
amount of pertinent research, which she delivers in an authoritative, yet
conversational style, giving needed clarity and perspective to scientific and
medical data.”
Sally
A. Hoedel, a lifelong Elvis fan and historian, has a journalism degree from
Michigan State University and is co-owner of Character Development and
Leadership, a curriculum business. She lives in Northern Michigan with her
husband and their four daughters.
For
more information, please visit www.ElvisAuthor.com, or follow the author on
Facebook at www.facebook.com/Elvis-Destined-To-Die-Young-101511875099858.
Elvis:
Destined to Die Young
Publisher:
Elvis Author, LLC
ISBN-10:
1-7336526-1-2
ISBN-13: 978-1-7336526-1-2
Available
from Amazon.com and www.ElvisAuthor.com
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