In early 1975, Elvis was rushed to the hospital for what news outlets described as “several days of tests,” according to the Associated Press. Linda had discovered him in bed, gasping for air, and he was quickly taken to a Memphis hospital.

At that point, he was dealing with liver complications, though it wasn’t related to alcohol. Instead, Elvis’s health struggles stemmed from his use of prescription medications.

Linda Thompson – Elvis relationship

The following months were rough. Elvis bought Linda a house near Graceland, but by October of 1975, she simply couldn’t do it anymore.

After Elvis was him treated at hospital once again, Linda left him to focus on her career in Los Angeles.

She struggled to cope with his “self-destructive” downwards spiral. They stayed in touch, but why?

“I had this haunting feeling, I just thought, I don’t know if anybody’s going to take care of him the way I did,” Linda explained.

“I felt very attuned to his habits and his needs. When you’re with someone for that many years and that closely living with them, I felt very attuned to his habits and his needs and I thought, nobody else is going to know that.”

Then, on Aug 16, 1977, a tragedy shook the entire world. Elvis Presley had passed away, age 42.

Just a few days earlier, Linda had tried reaching Elvis in what would be their last call. She called Graceland, where Elvis’s best friend and guitarist Charlie Hodge picked up.

Linda wanted to make sure that Elvis was OK and asked Charlie to go upstairs to check on him.

Elvis Presley’s last days

Linda recalled, “Charlie was a little impatient with me. He said, ‘He’s fine honey. He’s asleep.’ I said, ‘Just humour me and please go up there and just check on his breathing.'”

Charlie went upstairs to check on Elvis and confirmed he was breathing. It was then that Linda shared her last words to Elvis through his best friend, while Elvis was still alive.

“I said, ‘Okay, just tell him that I called and I love him and I was just checking on him,’” she recalled. “He said, ‘I’ll let him know. That’ll make him happy.’”

On August 16, 1977, Linda was at her apartment in Los Angeles when she received the news. Elvis Presley had been found unconscious on the bathroom floor and rushed to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. He was buried in the Meditation Garden at Graceland.

That night, it was Linda who was the first person nine-year-old Lisa Marie Presley called after her father’s passing.

Pictures of Linda Thompson and Elvis

Whenever photos of Linda Thompson and Elvis Presley surface, it’s surprising to see the same comments repeatedly made. Many people comment that Linda wasn’t as beautiful as Priscilla and that Elvis should have stayed with his first wife.

Honestly, this kind of commentary feels disrespectful. Linda played a significant role in Elvis’s life during a time when he truly needed love and support. Their relationship was meaningful, yet it’s as if people can’t avoid making comparisons, judging her without truly appreciating who she was.

Elvis Presley’s legacy will never be forgotten, and his incredible music will always be cherished.

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