Elvis Presley: Longtime Bodyguard Took Heartbreak To The Grave
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Elvis Presley pushed aside childhood friend and bodyguard Red West, who tried to save The King from drugs, but was banished from his inner circle instead!
Photo credit: Getty Images
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That’s the heartbreak Red took to his grave when he died of a heart attack on July 18 at the age of 81. “It was Red who tried the hardest to save Elvis from himself," a source told The National ENQUIRER. "That got him fired before he could stop his dearest friend from killing himself with drugs!”
Photo credit: Files
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With the 40th anniversary of Elvis’ death on Aug. 16 looming and knowing his own end was near, Red poured his heart out over The King — who had been his buddy since they were 15-year-old high school classmates.
Photo credit: National ENQUIRER Files/Getty Images
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Elvis banned Red; his cousin, Sonny; and their pal, karate expert Dave Hebler — his security team — after they complained to his manager, Colonel Tom Parker (left), about his rampant drug use.
Photo credit: Getty Images
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“Elvis took pills to go to sleep,” Red recalled to our source. “He took pills to wake up. He took pills to go to the john and pills to stop him from going to the john. There were times when he was so hyper on uppers that he had trouble breathing — and thought he was going to die.”
Photo credit: Getty Images
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The three men got the boot shortly before a drugged-up Elvis died on his bathroom throne. “Word got back to Red after Elvis died that he blew up at the Colonel over the firings, and went into a tailspin without having Red, Sonny and Dave around to rein him in,” the source revealed.
Photo credit: Files
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“It haunted Red till he died that the Colonel stopped him from saving his friend. Red told me, ‘When Elvis died it was like being hit by a truck. I was never far from him since he was a kid — until he needed me the most.’”
Photo credit: Files
Elvis Presley pushed aside childhood friend and bodyguard Red West, who tried to save The King from drugs, but was banished from his inner circle instead!
Photo credit: Getty Images
That’s the heartbreak Red took to his grave when he died of a heart attack on July 18 at the age of 81. “It was Red who tried the hardest to save Elvis from himself," a source told The National ENQUIRER. "That got him fired before he could stop his dearest friend from killing himself with drugs!”
Photo credit: Files
With the 40th anniversary of Elvis’ death on Aug. 16 looming and knowing his own end was near, Red poured his heart out over The King — who had been his buddy since they were 15-year-old high school classmates.
Photo credit: National ENQUIRER Files/Getty Images
Elvis banned Red; his cousin, Sonny; and their pal, karate expert Dave Hebler — his security team — after they complained to his manager, Colonel Tom Parker (left), about his rampant drug use.
Photo credit: Getty Images
“Elvis took pills to go to sleep,” Red recalled to our source. “He took pills to wake up. He took pills to go to the john and pills to stop him from going to the john. There were times when he was so hyper on uppers that he had trouble breathing — and thought he was going to die.”
Photo credit: Getty Images
The three men got the boot shortly before a drugged-up Elvis died on his bathroom throne. “Word got back to Red after Elvis died that he blew up at the Colonel over the firings, and went into a tailspin without having Red, Sonny and Dave around to rein him in,” the source revealed.
Photo credit: Files
“It haunted Red till he died that the Colonel stopped him from saving his friend. Red told me, ‘When Elvis died it was like being hit by a truck. I was never far from him since he was a kid — until he needed me the most.’”
Photo credit: Files
