Jelly Roll’s Heartwarming Gesture: Stops Concert to Find Chair for Cancer Survivor

Jelly Roll may have the most loyal fans in the industry with one woman so committed she attended his concert with an IV drip in tow.

The 39-year-old was performing at the Tailgate N’ Tallboys festival in Midland, Michigan, when he spotted the woman in the crowd and paused his show.

‘First of all, there is a young lady right here in the front of the crowd — where’s my camera guy at? Where’s my man?’ the country star, real name Jason Bradley DeFord, said in a clip shared to TikTok.

He then gestured for the camera operator to get a shot of the fan so that the whole crowd could see her.

‘I’ve seen a lot of crazy s**t at my shows. But this young lady is out here with a full-blown IV,’ he said in amazement.

‘You’re a cancer survivor?’ he asked, as the crowd cheered in confirmation. ‘How many people are with you?’

He then asked someone to get her a chair, looking at his stage crew to help out. 

‘Somebody on my team. Let’s get her somewhere comfortable for the rest of the show. We’ll get you off your feet, baby, okay?’

The Midland Daily News reported that Jelly’s performance had a huge crowd of 15,000 people for the second day of the Tailgate N’ Tallboys Festival.

Jelly Roll often takes the time out to help his fans and is open about his past struggles with drug abuse and the law.

Recently, at the CMA Fest, he was overcome with emotion as he reflected on just how far he had come in his life and career while performing in Nashville on Saturday.

‘I was in that juvenile facility. I was in and out of jail. I was in and out of drug addiction and tonight I am headlining CMA Fest on Saturday night in Nashville, Tennessee,’ Jelly explained. 

Tears flowed from his eyes as he buried his face in his cap while the crowd cheered and applauded in support.

‘I’m here to tell you that whatever you want to do in your life you can do it I don’t give a f**k what anybody says to you,’ he added

‘I dedicate this song to all the people that live between right and wrong. 

‘This song is called Son of a Sinner,’ he added.

The rapper turned country singer spent time in prison for various offenses, including aggravated robbery and drug possession. 

He battled drug addiction, has been open about his struggles with depression, and has described himself as a ‘broken man.’

The singer, who is a native of Nashville, Tennessee, was incarcerated on and off for nearly a decade until 2008 when his first child, daughter Bailee Ann DeFord, was born.

He was first locked up at age 13, held in a juvenile facility, after being caught with marijuana. 

By the time he was 15, the musician had tried many drugs including pills, cocaine, acid, mushrooms and meth.

Jelly landed himself an 18-month sentence at 16 years old after being charged as an adult in an aggravated assault case that saw him attempt to steal marijuana from someone whilst armed.

During his teenage years and early twenties, he was in and out of jail for numerous minor offenses such as violating probation and failing drug tests. 

He was also jailed for possessing crack with the intent to resell.

He vowed to turn his life around after the birth of his daughter. Jelly, then 23, was in prison when he learned that Bailee Ann had been born.

His current wife, former escort Bunnie Xo, helped him get custody of Bailee Ann in 2016, and the pair have raised her together ever since. 

Jelly also shares a son, Noah Buddy DeFord, with ex Melissa, with whom he and Bunnie seemingly have a good relationship.