Introduction
Riley Keough Recalls the Moment She Knew Her Mother Had Passed: A Journey of Love, Loss, and Joy
In a deeply moving interview on The Drew Barrymore Show, actress and author Riley Keough opened up about the loss of her mother, Lisa Marie Presley, and her path toward healing, captured in her new memoir From Here to the Great Unknown. With raw honesty, Riley shared the emotional moment when she instinctively knew her mother had passed—a powerful, inexplicable feeling she experienced while flying to be by her side.
During the flight, as she tried to reach her father by text, Riley recounted a sense of surrender washing over her. Unlike previous health scares, this moment felt different—more final. “I just had a feeling,” she said. Moments later, her father confirmed what her heart already knew: “Yes, two or three minutes ago.”
Despite the grief, Riley emphasized that her story is not defined solely by sadness. “So much of our life was fun, joyful, and funny,” she reflected. Her book strives to capture those vibrant, colorful moments she shared with her mother and younger brother, even as it confronts their painful departures. One poignant passage describes how her brother used to tease her about her bright yellow shoes—the “banana shoes”—and how she lovingly placed them in his casket after he passed. For many readers, it was the book’s most heartbreaking moment.
Riley’s message is clear: no one else can define your experience. “We are the pens that write our stories,” she affirmed. From Here to the Great Unknown is more than a memoir—it’s a celebration of life, a declaration of resilience, and an invitation for others to embrace their truth, no matter how complex or unconventional it may be.