Was Elvis Presley Destined to Die Young with Author Sally Hoedl

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.

Today's special guest, historian and author Sally Hoedel, 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.

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. 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.The result is a totally fresh, unique, humanizing approach to Elvis.

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.