In the stillness of early morning, Elvis Presley turned to his 20-year-old fiancée, Ginger Alden, and said, “I’m going to the bathroom to read.” It was a routine moment in their life together—but it would be the last time she heard his voice. By that afternoon, the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll was gone.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Elvis Presley was the king of Hollywood and also the king of rock ‘n roll.
Elvis had suffered from chronic insomnia, often wandering the halls of Graceland while Ginger slept. On that fateful August morning, not wanting to disturb her, he took a book and quietly headed to the bathroom. Hours later, Ginger awoke and noticed the bathroom light still on. What she found would change her life forever.
Ginger Alden quickly captured the heart of Elvis Presley when she was 19. The couple, who were 22 years apart in age, were together for a short time before Elvis’s death.
Elvis was on the floor, collapsed in a kneeling position, face resting in his hands—as if he were praying. But he was cold to the touch. Panicked, Ginger called for help. The first to arrive was Joe Esposito, a close friend and Elvis’s former Army buddy. Despite desperate attempts at CPR, there was nothing anyone could do. Elvis Presley was already gone.
These chilling final moments are among the intimate memories revealed in Ginger Alden’s memoir, “Elvis and Ginger,” set for release in September. At 57, Ginger reflects not only on the surreal tragedy of that day but on the whirlwind romance that preceded it.
Their story began much earlier than most fans know. Ginger first met Elvis as a child when her father, a military man, encountered Elvis during his Army service. Years later, in 1976, Ginger—now a stunning 19-year-old beauty queen from Memphis—was invited to Graceland with her sisters after one of them won the Miss Tennessee title. Elvis was instantly captivated by Ginger’s quiet charm and natural beauty.
Ginger Alden and her beauty at the age of 57. Since Elvis Presley’s death, Ginger has also left the entertainment world that she was briefly involved in when she was with Elvis. Ginger rarely appears in the media, she only accepted an interview once in 2002.
Despite their 22-year age difference and Ginger’s initial hesitation—especially over Elvis’s known struggle with prescription drugs—the two grew close. Encouraged by her mother, a lifelong Elvis fan, Ginger eventually accepted Elvis’s marriage proposal in January 1977. Just seven months later, the King was gone.
Elvis and Ginger in a photo taken in 1977. No one could have guessed that Elvis would pass away in the same year. Before that, the King of Rock ‘n Roll had even proposed to his girlfriend.
In this photo, Ginger’s father (left) appears with Elvis Presley. They met during Elvis’s time in the army.
Ginger’s love for Elvis was sincere and selfless. She never sought wealth or fame from the relationship. In fact, Elvis’s final will—signed just months before his death—left her nothing, a clear sign that their bond was personal, not transactional. She was, however, one of the key witnesses to that will, a testament to the trust he placed in her.
There is a special detail that Elvis proposed to Ginger in the bathroom at Graceland mansion and 7 months later, Elvis also passed away in this very bathroom.
In the years following Elvis’s death, Ginger disappeared from the spotlight, enduring public criticism from fans who blamed her for not saving him from his addictions. She refused to engage with the media, giving only one interview in 2002 and quietly penning her memories for decades.
Ginger and Elvis were together for a short time.
Today, her memoir seeks not to defend but to share—a portrait of Elvis not as an icon, but as a man vulnerable, complex, and deeply loved. And in the end, it’s not the fame or the music that lingers, but that final moment of quiet—“I’m going to the bathroom to read.”