As we mark the 40th anniversary of Elvis Presley's untimely passing, it's a moment to reflect on the life of the King of Rock and Roll. Those who were closest to him have opened up to Closer Weekly in an exclusive interview, sharing intimate details about his final days and his plans for the future. Elvis' longtime friend and hairdresser Larry Geller recalls that the legendary singer was ready to make some big changes in his life in the months before his death in August 1977 at the age of 42.

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According to Larry Geller, Elvis had grand plans to reinvent himself. “He wanted to change it all. He said, ‘We’ll do it in September.’ Tragically, he died in August. He knew he had so much more to give,” Geller shared with Closer. Elvis’ fiancée Ginger Alden echoed this sentiment, recalling how the "Jailhouse Rock" singer was eager to make significant changes in his life. “He wanted to do a film called Mission, which was uplifting and semi-autobiographical. We had plans to redecorate his home, and just a few hours before he passed away, we had set a wedding date,” Ginger revealed.

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Elvis and his fiancée Ginger in March 1977. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

Ginger Alden, who was deeply in love with Elvis, spoke candidly about her efforts to support him. “I loved him with all my heart. I was determined to try to help him,” Ginger told Closer, referring to Elvis' struggles with addiction, including a concerning reliance on sleeping pills. “He wasn’t someone who you could just tell, ‘You need to take care of yourself.’ He felt he was okay,” former wife Priscilla Presley once admitted.

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Even Elvis’ only daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, who was just nine years old at the time of his death, noticed a shift in her father's demeanor toward the end of his life. “His temper was getting worse, he was gaining weight, he was not happy,” she recalled. At one point, Lisa pleaded with Elvis, saying, “Don’t die, Daddy!” to which he replied, “I won’t.”

Elvis also began to realize the urgent need to alter his life's trajectory. “He woke up to the fact that he’d become so unhealthy. He told me, ‘Larry, I know my life is on the line, I know I have to make dramatic changes because I have so many plans. But I can’t do it unless I get healthy, and I need to get off these pills,’” Geller revealed to Closer.