Elvis Presley Once Bought a Fan a Diamond and Emerald Ring: ‘Love and Gratitude’
Elvis Presley was well-known for giving gifts to family, friends, and strangers. Bill Belew, who designed the King of Rock and Roll’s iconic jumpsuits for almost a decade, witnessed his generosity firsthand. He recalled when Presley gifted a fan a diamond and emerald ring she admired with “love and gratitude.”
Elvis Presley gave a fan an expensive gift she admired but couldn’t afford
In an interview with Elvis.com.au, Bill Belew discussed one instance where he worked with a jeweler to create custom pieces for Elvis Presley to wear at Sonny West’s wedding to Judy Jordan in 1970. Presley sent him to Schwartz and Albusser on the new jewelry.
“And so I went down there, and that’s how I met Saul and Abe. And as time progressed, we got to know each other,” Belew explained.
“Saul was tellin’ me that a lady had been coming in for quite some time and had been admiring an emerald and diamond ring. And it was very expensive,” he shared.
“And, she just would come in and look at it. They’d been trying to talk to her about putting some money on it, paying it off. No, no, her husband wouldn’t allow her to do it. “
Presley was at the jewelry store when this woman was there admiring the same ring. He asked the owners and told the staff to box it up for her when he learned her story.
The owner brought the ring to the woman and said, “That gentleman over there, Mr. Presley, would like you to have this ring.”
She refused, but Presley insisted that she take the gift. He told her, “I want you to have it. And please, accept it with my love and my gratitude.”
Elvis Presley’s generosity was legendary
Graceland’s official website has a page dedicated to Elvis Presley’s generosity. Presley’s philanthropy began as soon as he became famous and continued throughout his career.
Early in his career, Presley donated toys to a Marine drive for children. He also gave $1,050 to his alma mater, Humes High School, so all 1,400 students could attend the annual E.H. Crump Memorial Football Game.
“He performed in his hometown, Tupelo, in 1956 and 1957 to raise money for a youth center and park. In 1961, he performed a concert to build the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor and raised more than $65,000. And 12 years later, Elvis donated the proceeds from his 1973 “Aloha from Hawaii” satellite concert to the Kui Lee cancer fund,” the site reports.
Lisa Marie Presley, the King of Rock and Roll’s only daughter, discussed her father’s generosity on the website. She said these were some of her best memories.
“I only remember him giving to people,” she said. “I remember people going to him saying, ‘I just got a bum deal,’ and bang, there was a check.”
She continued, “I never saw him not doing something for somebody. That was probably the one thing that kept him sane: his ability to give back.”
Why was Elvis so giving?
Elvis Presley’s generosity likely stemmed from his poor upbringing. The Presley family, which included Elvis, his father, Vernon, and his mother, Gladys, often relied on the generosity of others.
Therefore, he did so when Presley could afford to give back to others. His acts of kindness were without fanfare, and the decision to give was often made at the moment.
Family and friends would receive gifts from Presley just because he wanted to give them. There didn’t have to be a special day to celebrate.
This generosity continued after his death in August 1977 when his daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, created the Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation. The foundation was created in 1984 “to continue Elvis’ tradition of generosity and community service and to honor his memory.”
The foundation supports charities focusing on arts, education, and children’s programs. It also provides counseling and services for children and their families in need. It also uses fan donations, such as the annual Poinsettia Campaign to decorate Graceland, to support the charity.
Elvis Presley died on Aug. 16, 1977, in his Graceland home in Memphis, Tennessee. He was 42.
