Country hitmaker Jelly Roll never forgot where he came from, and last June, a fan was blessed by his kind heart.
On Monday night, June 17, 2024, the singer headlined a free event in Nashville, 107.5 The River’s River On The Rooftop concert series show, hosted at Skydeck on Broadway. He was there along with Haven Madison and Jessie Murph, with the latter joining him onstage for a performance of their 2023 collaboration “Wild Ones.”
On the other side of the stage was an 18-year-old fan named Joy Gadalla, whose life was shaped for the better through the singer’s story. Gadalla’s family had moved from Egypt to the US to live the American dream. Recently, she finished high school with a 3.8 GPA despite being bullied since seventh grade, which forced her to complete her education online. Inspired by the singer’s accomplishments after overcoming his own struggles, she then enrolled at Belmont University to become a criminal justice lawyer. However, she couldn’t afford the dream.
“I was crying, I was stressing, I took a moment to breath and pray, and I knew that everything was going to be okay,” Gadalla said. “I knew God was going to take care of everything.”
Little did she know that waiting in line with her cousin for five hours to see Jelly Roll, a much-needed outing after a month of looking after her grandmother in the hospital, would be the answer to her prayer.
Gadalla stood only a few feet away from the singer in a packed crowd, and a last-minute decision, she held up her phone with the words reading, “Please pay my tuition.” After the “Save Me” singer’s first song, he acknowledged her message and told her, “I’m going to give you the opportunity to change your life right here on this date.” And he continued, saying, “I’m gonna send somebody out from my team to get you. We’re gonna talk about what college you go to and what your GPA is, and if all that checks out, we will help you get through school.”
After the show, Jelly Roll’s team contacted Gadalla, but official details are still unclear.
Jelly Roll had no idea about her or her story, how she was a year and seven months into her sobriety, and how he played a role in that journey. All he knew was that she needed it, and he understood what it felt like because he didn’t have anyone who’d pay for college, so he didn’t go.
This wasn’t the singer’s first time helping people, as he has always been known for his philanthropic reputation. In 2022, he partnered with local mentoring non-profit Impact Youth Outreach. Also, in a viral TikTok video last year, he rolled up to a Whataburger drive-thru and gave a young fan in the window $1,000 to share with his four other co-workers.
To Joy Gadalla, one thing was clear: what happened with Jelly Roll was a miracle. And with him in her corner, she’s one step closer to her dream.
