Long before Jason DeFord adopted the stage name “Jelly Roll” and became a Grammy-winning country artist, he was a young man struggling to find his path in life. In 2008, during what he has previously described as one of his darkest periods, DeFord made a decision that would change multiple lives forever.

According to close sources and previous interviews, DeFord was visiting a friend’s apartment complex in Antioch, Tennessee, when he heard what he thought was a cat crying. Upon investigation, he discovered twin infant boys who had been abandoned in the building’s laundry room. Despite his own troubled circumstances at the time, DeFord immediately contacted authorities and stayed with the infants until help arrived.

“I was nobody back then, just a kid with a record trying to figure life out,” Jelly Roll shared in a 2019 interview. “Finding those babies was like God tapping me on the shoulder, telling me life was bigger than my problems.”

A Continued Connection

The twin boys, Marcus and Michael Turner, were eventually adopted by Lisa and Robert Turner, a local couple who had been trying to start a family for years. In what some might call divine timing, the Turners had just been approved as adoptive parents when the twins were found.

What makes this story particularly remarkable is that DeFord didn’t simply fade away after the rescue. With the blessing of the adoptive parents, he maintained a distant but supportive presence in the boys’ lives, sending birthday cards and occasionally checking in as they grew, especially after his music career began to take off.

“He never wanted credit,” Lisa Turner told local media last year. “He just wanted to know they were okay. Even when he started getting famous, he’d still remember their birthdays and milestones.”

The Surprise that Brought Tears

At his sold-out show at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena last weekend, Jelly Roll was performing his emotional hit “Son of a Sinner” when he noticed something unexpected happening at the side of the stage. As he later described to fans, he initially thought there was a technical issue when his production team started moving differently.

What happened next left few dry eyes in the arena.

Marcus and Michael Turner, now 17-year-old high school seniors, walked onto the stage carrying guitars. The crowd, unaware of the significance, watched in confusion as Jelly Roll seemed momentarily frozen before embracing both young men in a tearful hug.

Taking the microphone, Marcus explained to the audience, “Seventeen years ago, this man found us when we had nobody. Tonight, we want to give something back.” The twins then performed an original song they had written titled “Found,” detailing their journey and expressing gratitude for the chance at life they were given.

Jelly Roll, visibly emotional, sat on the edge of the stage watching the performance, repeatedly wiping tears as the young men showcased impressive musical talents of their own.

“They Saved Me”

After the performance, which received a standing ovation from the stunned crowd, Jelly Roll embraced the twins again before addressing his fans.

“Y’all think I saved these boys, but the truth is they saved me,” he said, his voice breaking. “That night changed the direction of my life. It made me believe I could be something better than what I was.”

According to those present, he explained how finding the twins had been a pivotal moment that eventually helped him find purpose and turn away from self-destructive behaviors.

The Turner family later revealed that both young men had been accepted to Belmont University’s prestigious music program and will begin their studies this fall—a detail that reportedly brought fresh tears to Jelly Roll’s eyes when he learned of it backstage.

Legacy of Compassion

The story has resonated deeply with fans, particularly as it aligns with Jelly Roll’s well-documented passion for helping at-risk youth. In recent years, he has established several programs aimed at supporting children in difficult circumstances, including a music therapy initiative for juvenile detention centers—a cause personally important to him due to his own experiences in the system as a teenager.

“What happened with Marcus and Michael reminds us that sometimes the smallest act of compassion can create ripples that last a lifetime,” said Catherine Williams, director of Jelly Roll’s charitable foundation. “That’s the message he tries to share with young people facing challenges today.”

For their part, the Turner twins have expressed hope that their story might inspire others to recognize how lives can change through simple acts of kindness.

“We wouldn’t be here without someone caring enough to stop and listen,” Michael told reporters after the concert. “Everyone deserves that chance.”

As videos of the emotional moment continue to circulate online, fans have been quick to note how perfectly the surprise embodies the themes of redemption and second chances that permeate much of Jelly Roll’s music—proof that sometimes life’s most powerful stories don’t need to be written; they simply unfold when compassion leads the way.