Elvis Presley’s Granddaughter Riley Keough Reveals She Finished Training to Become a Death Doula Following Brother Benjamin’s Suicide

Riley Keough has finished training to become a death doula following the death of her brother Benjamin last year. Keough, the granddaughter of Elvis Presley, shared the news with her followers Sunday night, revealing she has completed a training course to become an end-of-life doula, or a person who assists in the dying process, and is now “an almost certified” death midwife.

Keough, 31, shared the news alongside a quote from poet Rumi reading, “Be a lamp or a lifeboat or a ladder. Help someone’s soul heal. Walk out of your house like a shepherd.” She said that after finishing her training, she “felt like writing such a deep thank you to this community,” who is teaching and training people “in conscious dying and death work.” She went on to reflect on how many people view death and the importance on educating people on the topic.

“We are taught that its a morbid subject to talk about. Or were so afraid of it that we’re unable to talk about it… then of course it happens to us, and we are very ill prepared,” she wrote. “I think it’s so important to be educated on conscious dying and death the way we educate ourselves on birth and conscious birthing. We prepare ourselves so rigorously for the entrance and have no preparation for our exit.”

Keough ended her message by sharing that she is “so grateful” for her new opportunity and shared her excitement at being “able to contribute what I can.” The specific course Keough took, The Art of Death Midwifery, provides classes on what it means to die, how to offer practical, emotional and spiritual support to those who are dying and their family, and to provide support after a person’s death, according to the Daily Mail.

Keough’s decision to become a death doula comes just months after her younger brother, Benjamin, died at the age of 27. Benjamin passed away in July 2020 in Calabasas, California, with an autopsy report finding that he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The autopsy also showed cocaine and alcohol in his system and noted the 27-year-old had a history of depression and attempted suicide five to six months before his death. His passing was mourned by those close to him, including his sister, who has shared numerous tributes to him, calling him her “best friend” and her “angel.”

If you or someone you know are in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741-741.