Fan asks Jelly Roll to pay her $40,000 college tuition at a concert — his response changed her life
Country music singer and rapper Jelly Roll has been topping the charts and winning hearts across the globe not only for his songs but also for his generosity. He has been proactive in giving back to society, be it collecting toys for kids or funding a honeymoon for newly married fans. In another similar incident during one of his free concerts last year, Roll changed the life of a young fan after promising to pay for her college tuition.
Fulfilling Dreams Like His Own
Jelly Roll was one song into the free concert at Skydeck on Broadway when he spotted something strange. In the crowd, a young woman was holding up a sign on her phone that read, “Please pay my tuition.” While the request could've been ignored, the artist chose to oblige. "We're gonna talk about what college you go to, what your GPA is, and if all of that checks out, we will help you get through school," he told the fan from the stage. The country star added that he wanted to help the girl get an opportunity to change her life. "Cause I tell you what, I didn't have to pay for my college, so I didn't go," Jelly Roll added with a laugh.
The fan was identified as 18-year-old Joy Gadalla, by local news station, WKRN. She told the reporters that she waited in line for about five hours to see the star perform. Gadalla and her cousin were taking a “much-needed” break as they had just spent a month looking after their grandmother in the hospital. Gadalla added that it was prayers that got her close to the stage and in that moment she decided to make the most of the opportunity. “I took like a black picture and then wrote, ‘Please pay my tuition,’ and just held it up,” she recalled. The “Save Me” singer spotted the message and it gave her a chance to realize her dreams. The priceless reaction was captured by fans and the clips went viral on social media.
While the official details about the charitable agreement aren't clear, Gadalla told the news outlet that she expects that her tuition would cost about $40,000 a year, but any amount from the artist will be a blessing.
Gadalla further shared that she is a first-generation Egyptian immigrant, and her family moved to Tennessee in pursuit of the "American Dream." However, the transition had been tough on her as she got relentlessly bullied in the U.S. which forced her to switch to online schooling in seventh grade and even pushed her towards alcoholism. However, Gadalla took inspiration from Jelly Roll, who also overcame tough circumstances in life. His music helped her stay motivated and when she went to the concert, she was seven months sober and she had graduated with a 3.8 GPA.
She told News2 that she had enrolled at Belmont University just days before the show, and wanted to pursue a career as a criminal justice lawyer. However, the steep cost of tuition had been stressing her out but she believed that God would help her out.
