On July 12, Lisa Marie Presley’s only son, Benjamin Keough, passed away at the age of 27 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. After his death became public, Lisa Marie’s rep, Roger Widynowski, provided a statement on her behalf:
“She is completely heartbroken, inconsolable and beyond devastated but trying to stay strong for her 11-year-old twins and her oldest daughter Riley,” Roger said. “She adored that boy. He was the love of her life.”
Benjamin wasn’t only the love of Lisa Marie’s life, he was also the love of his older sister Riley Keough’s life, as she wrote on Instagram on August 7.
RELATED: RILEY KEOUGH FINALLY REVEALS HER DAUGHTER’S NAME
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Riley and Benjamin were only four years apart and were the closest of friends. After Benjamin died, Riley wrote a tribute to him on Instagram and included a series of photos.
“I can’t believe you’ve left me,” she wrote. “Not you sweet Ben Ben. Anyone but you. I guess this is true heartbreak. I hope we meet again.”
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In the months since Ben’s passing, Riley has been pretty open about her grief, often posting tributes to her brother on her Instagram and Instagram Story.
Eight months after she lost her brother, she wants to help people who have been through something similar.
In a new Instagram post on March 21, she wrote, “Today I finished my Death Doula training, on The Art of Death Midwifery training course by @sacred_crossings so I guess I’m an almost certified death doula now.”
According to Sacred Crossings’ website, The Art of Death Midwifery is “a comprehensive certificate training for death doulas, professional and non-professional end-of-life caregivers and those seeking to prepare for a conscious, peaceful transition.”
The certificate training is a “3- Level, 75-hour certificate program consisting of three intensive weekend workshops plus reading, written and practical assignments.”
The levels are as follows:
Level 1: ENTER THE GRAVE – A Spiritual Practice
Level 2: CONSCIOUS DYING – Preparing for a peaceful transition
Level 3: AFTER THE LAST BREATH – Preparing the body, home funerals and final disposition
Riley just completed Level 2 and will complete Level 3 either May 13 or June 6, depending on which weekend she registered for.
“I just felt like writing such a deep thank you to this community who are teaching and training people in conscious dying and death work,” she wrote on Instagram. “We are taught that its [sic] 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. 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. So I’m so grateful for this community and to be able to contribute what I can.”
See her full post below.
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To find out more information on Sacred Crossings, you can visit their website here.