Elvis is known the world over for his music, flamboyant monkeys, and an acting style like no other man. However, something for which he is perhaps less known is his generosity towards others. He gave gifts ranging from Cadillacs to diamond-encrusted Rolexes. His gifts were given as a sign of his love to those around him, but they were also often spontaneous acts.
But it wasn’t just in his famous life that Elvis was generous. In fact, from a very young age, he was known to give away his new toys to children who he felt were less fortunate than him; what could be described as an unusually generous action for a child. This characteristic took hold, and from then on he gave many more gifts in his life, when he became a star of legendary proportions.
This may not have been apparent to his fans, as throughout his prolific career, much of Elvis’ generosity was unknown to the general public. Yet behind closed doors he supported everyone from friends and family to strangers. He paid people’s hospital bills, bought wheelchairs for those in need, and paid the debts of others. He even paid for the weddings of two of his friends and contributed $ 30,000 to their houses. Apart from this, Elvis bought around 150 cars for his friends, who became known as the ‘Memphis Mafia’.
He was known for using his fame and popularity to host shows and benefits that would raise money for causes he was passionate about. When he returned to the US after serving in the military for two years, he organized a charity benefit in Hawaii that raised $ 65,000 for the Pearl Harbor Memorial for the USS Arizona. Before this, the fund was in trouble, but after Elvis’s contribution, the memorial was able to open later that year.
Today, Elvis Presley’s philanthropic efforts are survived by the Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation and the Elvis Presley Endowed Scholarship Fund at the University of Memphis. Now, the memory of the King lives on through his music, his personality and his kindness. Even today, there are numerous Elvis collectibles available to buy from online stores to treat your family and friends who wish to treasure the memory of the King himself.