Behind the legend of Elvis Presley — the King of Rock ’n’ Roll, the voice that changed music forever — was always a devoted son who never stopped loving his mother. To Elvis, Gladys Love Presley was more than a parent; she was his best friend, his protector, and the one person who truly understood him. “She was everything to me,” Elvis once said. “My mama was the one person who really understood me. She believed in me when nobody else did.”

Growing up in Tupelo, Mississippi, Elvis and Gladys shared an unbreakable bond. She worked tirelessly at odd jobs to support the family, saving enough to buy her son his first guitar at age eleven. As fame found him, Gladys stayed close, offering comfort, prayers, and love. When she passed away suddenly in 1958, just before he left for military service, Elvis was devastated. “It was the darkest time of my life,” he later admitted.

To honor her, Elvis co-wrote “That’s Someone You Never Forget” in 1961, pouring his heart into every lyric. The song became his private farewell — a tribute to the woman who shaped his soul. Though the King is gone, his love for Gladys still echoes through that timeless melody.