Riley Keough Says She's Finished 'Death Doula' Training After Brother Benjamin's Suicide

Riley Keough
David Crotty/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

Lisa Marie Presley's son died last July.

Riley Keough wants to help others through their grief. Eight months after her brother, Benjamin Keough, died by suicide, Riley took to Instagram to reveal that she's completed her death doula training.

Riley and Benjamin are both kids to Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis Presley's daughter.

Riley's post featured a Rumi quote, which read, "Be a lamp or a lifeboat or a ladder. Help someone's soul heal. Walk out of your house like a shepherd."

In the caption, Riley explained why becoming a death doula through Sacred Crossings, an institute that aims to change the culture of death and dying, was important to her.

"Today I finished my Death Doula training, on The Art of Death Midwifery training course by @sacred_crossings so I guess I’m an almost certified death doula now hehe," she wrote. "And I just felt like writing such a deep thank you to this community who are teaching and training people in conscious dying and death work."

"We are taught that its a morbid subject to talk about. Or were so afraid of it that we’re unable to talk about it... then of course it happens to us, and we are very ill prepared," Riley continued, alluding to her brother's death. "I think it’s so important to be educated on conscious dying and death the way we educate ourselves on birth and conscious birthing."

"We prepare ourselves so rigorously for the entrance and have no preparation for our exit," she added. "So I’m so grateful for this community and to be able to contribute what I can."

Last July, Riley got a tattoo in honor of her late brother. Earlier that month, she remembered Benjamin in a heartbreaking Instagram post.

"Mornings are the hardest. I forget you’re gone. I can’t cry because of the fear that I will never stop. A pain that’s new to me," she captioned a slideshow of photos of the two together. "You. There are no words for you. Angel is the closest I could think of. Pure light. Baby brother. Best friend. Wild man. Intellectual. Witness to my life. Twin soul. Protector. Too sensitive for this harsh world."

The Paterno actress continued by adding that she hopes her brother gives her "strength to endure the giant hole you’ve left in my heart. I hope you give me the strength to eat. I hope you’re cradled in love. I hope you feel my love. I hope you feel god."

She concluded by writing that she can't believe he's gone, "Not you sweet Ben Ben. Anyone but you. I guess this is true heartbreak. I hope we meet again."

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