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Priscilla Presley | Source: Getty Images
Priscilla Presley on How She Has Helped Son Navarone Through Addiction
Sep 19, 2025 - 08:02 A.M.
The former wife of Elvis Presley, who is currently promoting her new memoir, spoke about helping her only son, whom she shares with an ex, get sober after struggling with drug addiction.
Priscilla Presley is opening up about her son Navarone Garibaldi, whom she shares with her former partner, Marco Garibaldi, and his battle with substance abuse. The 80-year-old businesswoman admitted that helping the 38-year-old musician get clean wasn't easy.
Priscilla Presley and Navarone Garibaldi attend the Last Chance for Animals 40th Anniversary Gala at Paramount Studios on October 19, 2024, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
"He had some issues, going through a bad, bad time. [...] Him trying to get off drugs. It was hard," Priscilla told PEOPLE in a new interview. "I went through that with him. Finally one day, he came to me and says, 'Mom, I want to get off drugs, I don't want to do this anymore.'"
Priscilla said Navarone told her he didn't want to hurt anyone any longer and that he had already lost a few friends due to his addiction. He admitted he needed help and asked his mother if she would assist him in getting clean.
Navarone Garibaldi and Priscilla Presley attend the Last Chance For Animals 2022 Compassion Gala at The Beverly Hilton on October 15, 2022, in Beverly Hills, California. | Source: Getty Images
"And I said, 'I will absolutely help you,'" Priscilla recalled. Navarone then moved in with her. The pair slept in the same bed every night and endured the turmoil of Navarone's nightly withdrawals.
"I don't wish that on anyone, because there's really nothing, you know, you can do," she reflected. "You can't give them more drugs, that's for sure. They have to go through it, and that time is really bad. You're going through it with them."
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), drug withdrawal symptoms include nausea and vomiting, hot and cold flushes, anxiety, perspiration, muscle cramps, and more. Priscilla recounted how she would massage Navarone when he cried of pain in his legs.
By the fifth day, however, the worst was over. "It was like, oh my God, I never thought it was going to happen. And he's been dry ever since. I'm really happy for him," she shared.
The actress delves deeper into Navarone's struggles in her memoir, "Softly, As I Leave You: Life After Elvis." The book is slated for release this coming Tuesday, September 23.
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