If you’re a Jelly Roll fan, you know just how deeply he cares about giving back to others.
Having faced a challenging childhood himself, the singer now uses his resources to support those in need. He recently played a key role in establishing a music studio at the Nashville Juvenile Detention Center, launching the groundbreaking for Nashville’s new Youth Campus for Empowerment, and even promised to pay for a young fan’s college tuition.
But there is one special person Jelly Roll is dedicated to helping make her dreams come true: his sweet mom, Donna DeFord.
Jelly Roll has often expressed that his mother is a constant support for him during tough times, including his battles with addiction and time in prison. He promised Donna that he would make it as a musician and one day take care of her and others. Now, the world can see that promise come to life.
At the end of last year, Jelly Roll received not one but two Grammy nominations, a milestone that he couldn’t wait to share with Donna. During an interview with the New York Times’ Popcast, he shared what it meant to him to be able to call his mom and tell her the news.
“…it was me getting to call a woman I’ve called from jail, a woman I’ve called homeless, a woman I’ve called addicted, a woman I’ve had to sit down and tell her I had a drug addiction, a woman I’ve had to tell her I was running from the police, a woman I’ve had to call with all this horrible news…and I got to call and say I just got nominated for two f***ing Grammys…it’s the craziest call you can make.”
It is truly inspiring to watch him stay grounded by the support of the woman who believed in him from the start.
Now, Jelly Roll had another surprise for his mom.
After three long decades away from the ocean, she finally got to dip her toes in the sand, thanks to her son. Donna, who uses a wheelchair, often struggles to enjoy activities that others find easy. When she wanted a family beach trip, Jelly quickly helped her out by equipping her wheelchair with strong, beach-friendly tires.
Jelly’s wife, Bunnie Xo, shared the sweet moment on her TikTok page. Donna can be seen with pure joy on her face as she rolls through the sand, while Jelly is standing off to the side with a big smile on his face. Bunnie wrote alongside the video:
“Memaw hadn’t seen the beach in 30 years, so J made sure she could.”
You can watch the heartwarming moment below.
@xomgitsbunnie
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We hope Mama DeFord had a great trip to the beach with her son!