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the more I learn about what an amazing and generous man he was. This
article is just one example of his charitable Christmas spirit.
It was Christmas time, and in the local paper there was a short
article about an old woman in North Memphis, it was near the area
where Elvis lived while he was growing up.
The man and woman were old, black and very poor. They lived in a two-
room house with only a tattered curtain dividing the rooms, in the
poorest part of Memphis. The old woman had been confined to a
wheelchair all her life. She had no legs and her old wheelchair had
become worse from age, she wasn't able to use it anymore and left her
unable to move around her home.
The story was written by a charitable woman who knew of the old
lady's circumstances and decided to do what she could, and try to
raise enough money to buy the old lady a new wheelchair. When Elvis
read the article he turned to Marty Lacker and said, "Moon, take care
of it for me. Get her a new chair."
Marty made a call to the phone number which was with the article, and
asked the woman who answered the call, if she was still looking for a
wheelchair for the crippled woman?
She said, "We are taking donations and will very much appreciate
anything you can do."
Marty then asked how much had already been raised; so far the
donations received totaled a little over eighty dollars. Marty
explained to the lady, he is acting on behalf of someone who would
like to remain anonymous but would like to buy the old woman a new
wheelchair.
The lady on the phone said, "Oh, you want to donate some money."
Marty replied, "No, we want to buy a new chair for her. You take the
money that has been raised and give to her. We'll get the
wheelchair. "The lady seemed to be unsure about the caller, until
Marty asked for the old woman's address and reassuring her that they
would get the old woman her chair, she then seemed satisfied this
call was genuine.
She said to Marty, "You are very kind," then she offered to pick up
the wheelchair and send the bill on to them, he said, no, ma'am. "We
will pick the chair up and personally deliver it, there is somebody
who wants to do this for the old lady."
"God will surely bless you and your friend." She replied.
After getting the elderly woman's address Marty made another call to
a hospital supply company in Memphis, where Marty and one of the
other guys found a really nice electric, automatic wheelchair and
bought it, put it in the trunk of the car and went back to Graceland
to show Elvis the chair before they delivered it to the old woman.
When they got to Graceland, Elvis and Priscilla were dressed to go
out.
Marty asked Elvis if he wanted to see the wheelchair before taking to
the woman, Elvis answered "Priscilla and I are both going with you."
Elvis, Priscilla and Marty got into one car and two of the guys
followed in a second car, using the second car was normal procedure
for security, or in case anything happened to the car Elvis was
traveling in. They drove to one of the poorest neighborhoods in
Memphis. It was the pits, and they all wondered how people were
living like that and yet, most of the guys had begun their lives in
little better conditions.
Marty went to the door making sure they were at the right address; an
old man let him in.
It was a shock to see what these people lived in, he noticed the
newspapers, which were there to try and stop the wind from coming in
the windows, there was an old wood stove in the middle of the floor.
It was the poorest place Marty had ever seen, and the shocking fact
was this place was in the city. It was a run down shack, not a house.
Marty explained to the old man three or four times why he was in the
neighborhood, even then it's not certain the old man understood. Then
Marty saw the old woman sitting on a wooden chair in the other room,
he then told the man he would be right back.
While outside, he told Elvis the old lady was in the house and got
the other guys to put the wheelchair together. Elvis carried the
chair into the house, with Priscilla, Marty and the others following.
Tears welled in everyone's eyes at the sight of these dear old people
during such poverty. Elvis went to the lady and said, "Hello, I came
to give you this chair as a gift for Christmas".
The dear old woman didn't understand why this white man was in her
home to giving her a new wheelchair. She kept looking at the chair
and Elvis while he explained and showed her how it should be operated.
Suddenly she seemed to understand this wheelchair is truly a gift to
her, then she tried her hardest to get off the wooden chair to her
new chair wheelchair, but she struggled and was unable to do so.
Elvis then gently picked her up and carefully placed her in her new
chair.
As her tears began flowing from her old eyes she cried, "Praise God!
God bless you!"
The moment was filled with genuine emotions, with Elvis on one side
and Priscilla on the other, sharing this "happy sadness" moment with
the old lady.
Even the tough members of the Memphis Mafia couldn't control the
powerful emotions floating in the room; each of the guys came forward
and put their arms around the old lady and clasped the old man's weak
hand.
The general feeling that surfaced from this special visit was the
love felt for the elderly couple, Priscilla and all that were
present, but most of all they truly loved Elvis and the sincerity
with which he gave his true gift, himself.
Before leaving the couple, Elvis turned to Marty and said, "Look at
the way they're living," each person involved in the experience felt
thankful for what they had.
Elvis then asked Marty to give him a couple of hundred dollars; Elvis
then placed two one-hundred-dollar notes in the old woman's hand
wishing her a Merry Christmas.
Elvis gently kissed her, then turned and walked out...
There are many more fascinating stories and facts of Elvis Presley
Biography in my free ebook "Elvis Presley Forever" which you can
download at http://www.elvis-presley-forever.com
You can also tell us all about the reasons you most love Elvis and
his music, in our Fan Survey on the site.
Article Bio: Contributed by Theresea Hughes, a loyal Elvis fan and
creator of
http://www.elvis-presley-forever.com >http://www.elvis-presley-forever.com This site is
dedicated to providing Elvis fans with quality Elvis Presley
biography information, pictures and articles for your entertainment.
Everything you ever wanted to know about Elvis's life, loves and
music. An Elvis Presley biography site by a fan for his fans.
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About the Author
Article Bio: Contributed by Theresea Hughes creator of
http://www.elvis-presley-forever.com >http://www.elvis-presley-forever.com This site is
dedicated to providing Elvis fans with quality Elvis Presley site with everything you ever wanted to know about Elvis's life, loves and music. An Elvis Presley biography site by a fan for his fans.