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There’s a Heartbreaking Story Behind This Photo of Elvis Presley

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Elvis Presley was devoted to his parents, Vernon and Gladys Presley. An only child (his twin brother had been a stillborn), he grew up in poor in Tupelo, MS, before his mother and father moved him to Memphis. Even after the move, the Presleys were still struggling.

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But throughout his early life, Vernon and Gladys made sure he had enough to be happy. And his mother was devoted to him. She also believed he was destined for greater things. She proved right when Elvis finally became one of the biggest stars in rock and roll history in the mid-1950s.

Sadly, his mom got sick in the summer of 1958, and finally had to go to the hospital. Elvis, who was serving in the U.S. Army then, got permission to go visit her. She died on August 14, 1958, with her husband by her side. Later that day, Elvis and his dad were sitting on the steps of Graceland–the second home Elvis had bought for his parents–when someone snapped this photo. Both men were grief-stricken.

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Elvis comforting his father after the loss of his mother. 1958. from OldSchoolCool

At the funeral, Elvis sobbed when Gladys’s favorite gospel singers sang. He was equally inconsolable at her grave, saying, “Oh God, everything I have is gone.” He never really got over her death.

via Reddit

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