Elvis Presley’s Bodyguard Reveals The Tragic Reason He ‘Didn’t Like to Be Touched’ Before Death

Elvis Presley, the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” captivated millions with his groundbreaking music and magnetic stage presence. However, as his career progressed, Presley faced challenges that starkly contrasted with his vibrant public persona. In the months leading up to his untimely death on August 16, 1977, Presley struggled with significant health issues , so much so that he didn’t want anyone to touch him. In an interview with Fox News Digital , Ted Pryor, a former bodyguard and super middleweight kickboxing champion, shed light on the icon’s struggles: “Elvis was at a point where he was so heavy he didn’t like to be touched because he was constantly perspiring and hot.”

Despite his physical struggles, women continued to rush the stage during performances, desperate to get close to the man who had become a global phenomenon. “It was interesting, because you’d have a chokehold around their waist. We would take them to the floor slowly, and our junior bodyguards would take them away,” the bodyguard recalled. One fan, in a dramatic display of her admiration, also used a scarf gifted by Presley to choke Pryor. “She was trying to get to Elvis,” Pryor recounted. “She put it around my neck and started choking me.”

However, Presley’s struggles extended beyond his physical health. Pryor revealed that financial troubles also plagued the singer in his final years . “Unfortunately, no one knew it then, but he was broke,” Pryor stated. “He had to start touring because his manager gambled his money away.” For those who may not know, Colonel Tom Parker, Presley’s longtime manager, reportedly had a significant gambling problem, which not only drained Presley’s finances but also restricted him from touring within the United States.

Despite the challenges, Pryor remembered Presley fondly as someone who treated his bodyguards well, even if he was often ‘sour’ due to personal losses. “He lost his mom, he lost his wife, and he was sour toward women,” Pryor shared. According to Unilad , Pryor was hired after Presley developed an interest in martial arts during his military service. “Elvis, when he was younger in the service, he learned a little bit of martial arts, and he was infatuated with it. Getting to bodyguard for ‘the King’ was pretty exciting for me,” Pryor said.

He and his friend Joe were initially training law enforcement personnel in self-defense techniques when they received the offer to join Presley’s team. Their work took them across the country, from Tennessee to California, as they accompanied the singer on what would ultimately be his final tour. Presley’s death at the age of 42 shocked the world, prompting then-President Jimmy Carter to issue a public statement mourning the loss. Pryor reflected on that moment, saying, “It wasn’t a good call. I think the whole world was shocked when that happened.”