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Riley Keough struggles to come to terms with his brother’s death a year later.
Benjamin Keough, son of Lisa Marie Presley and grandson of Elvis Presley, committed suicide in July 2020. He was 27 years old. In a candid interview with the New York Times, Riley opened up about her grieving process, explaining that last year had felt “like being thrown into the ocean and not knowing how to swim.”
“The first four or five months I couldn’t get out of bed,” said the 32-year-old. “I was totally weakened. I couldn’t speak for two weeks.”
Benjamin and Riley, whose father is musician Danny Keough, were extremely close.
“It’s very complicated for our minds to put this somewhere because it’s so outrageous,” said the Zola star continued. “If I’m going through a breakup, I know what to do with it and where to put it in my head, but your brother’s suicide? Where do you put that? How does it fit in? It just doesn’t. “
Riley was able to get out of bed relying on friends and her husband, Ben Smith-Petersen. However, she made sure to face her grief head-on.
“I wanted to make sure I was feeling everything and not running away from anything,” she explained.
The actress found purpose in wanting to help others get through death, so she became a death doula eight months after Benjamin passed away. (A death doula is a person who assists and guides a person through the process of dying.)
“That’s really what helped me, to be able to put myself in a position of service,” she told the Time. “If I can help other people maybe I can find a way to help myself.”
Riley said she had a new outlook on life.
“There is that sense of how fragile life is and how much every moment matters to me now,” she explained.
Riley keeps her brother’s memory alive on social media, often posting tributes to Benjamin. July 12 marked the first anniversary of his death.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
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