Lisa Marie Presley has said that she is choosing to stay alive for the sake of her daughters, after the death of her son Benjamin Storm Keough in 2020.
The 54-year-old daughter of Elvis Presley wrote in an essay for National Grief Awareness Day in the United States about how she has coped since Benjamin took his own life.
Benjamin was Lisa Marie's only son, who she shared with Danny Keough. They were married for five years until 1994 and also had a daughter, Riley, 33, together.
Lisa Marie also has 13-year-old twin daughters Harper Vivienne Ann and Finley Aaron Love from her fourth marriage to Michael Lockwood.
They split after a decade of marriage and their divorce was finalised last year.
Speaking about her every day, Lisa Marie wrote in a People essay: "I keep going for my girls. I keep going because my son made it very clear in his final moments that taking care of his little sisters and looking out for them were on the forefront of his concerns and his mind.
"He absolutely adored them and they him. My and my three daughters' lives as we knew it were completely detonated and destroyed by his death. We live in this every. Single. Day."
Lisa Marie's 27-year-old son died at their $1.8m Calabasas home from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Benjamin reportedly had cocaine and alcohol in his system and had just had an argument with his girlfriend of three years, Diana Pinto.
Lisa wrote in her essay: "'Today is National Grief Awareness Day, and since I have been living in the horrific reality of its unrelenting grips since my son's death two years ago, I thought I would share a few things to be aware of in regard to grief for anyone who is interested. If not to help yourself but maybe to help another who is grieving."
She continued: "I'm sharing my thoughts in the hopes that somehow, we can change that.
"Grief does not stop or go away in any sense, a year, or years after the loss. Grief is something you will have to carry with you for the rest of your life, in spite of what certain people or our culture wants us to believe. You do not 'get over it,' you do not 'move on,' period."
Lisa Marie added about grief: "[It's] incredibly lonely' and while people show their support in 'the heat of the moment,' they soon go back to their own lives, 'and expect you to do the same.'
"If you're incredibly lucky, less than a handful will remain in contact with you after the first month or so. Unfortunately, that is a cold hard truth for most.
"So, if you know someone who lost a loved one, regardless of how long it's been, please call them to see how they are doing. Go visit them, they will really really appreciate it, more than you know."
*If you're struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email jo@samaritans.org or visit their site to find your local branch.
