Jelly Roll, known not just for his musical talents but also for his storied past, has always been vocal about the unwavering support he received from his mother, Donna Deford. Through the turbulence of his addiction struggles and the darkness of prison cells, Donna stood as a beacon of hope and resilience. Her unshakeable belief in him was a testament to the strength of a mother's love, a fact that Jelly Roll never took lightly.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.”
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