Destined to Give–The Legendary Generosity of Elvis Presley examines the evolution of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s benevolent giving and the purpose he found by sharing much of his wealth with others. Hoedel explores the roots of that generosity, which was a learned behavior when he was on the receiving end during those early years of poverty in Tupelo. It was there that he witnessed a natural sense of giving rooted in survival.

Fame allowed Elvis Presley to be generous in ways he never could have imagined. However, trust became hard to come by for Elvis. His last personal sense of humanity was felt when helping nameless faces in need. They expected nothing from him and were grateful for the unexpected kindness. Gifting a complete stranger a new car certainly seems like a tale of great myth. Yet, in his final years, those were the moments of Elvis’ truest self-expression–the decent man behind the crown who just wanted to help people and have purpose.

Elvis Presley had a strong moral compass, but it was difficult to follow at times while in the trenches of fame. The money blinded it. The fame distorted the reality of it. Expectations of those around him and expectations of the entire planet sometimes buried it. However, his values remained, most visibly in the continuous acts of generosity.