In an emotional social media post, Carmella Wallace, the mother of late rapper Juice WRLD, shared this very touching, candid story of his high school years and part of him his fans rarely saw. Juice WRLD, given the birth name Jarad Higgins, is not only remembered for the gifted musician he was but also for personal struggles and bonds with family that shaped his life.
Carmella’s story unfolded as that of a very caring and protectant mother getting her way through the intricacies involved in bringing up a teenage boy who had started finding himself. She spoke of how she remembered Jarad trying to wear grills, only for her to find them and throw them away.
“When Jarad was in high school, he attempted to have grills (not in my presence) and I would always throw them away because I didn’t want him wearing them. Jarad and I were reminiscing when was visiting him and I told him that I always threw his grills away whenever I saw them. He was a little upset about it, but I told him that I was just being a mom (that means get over it). He intentionally took a picture with me with the grill in his mouth; just being a mom, I let Jarad have that one!”
she wrote. A small teenage rebellion act for Carmella meant guidance to her son in making the right choices.
One incident, however, remains indelibly etched in her memory. On one visit, Jarad reminded his mother of how she would dispose of his grills. He was still a little angry, but Carmella responded in the straightforwardly honest way that was part of their relationship: “I was just being a mom.” In one goofy, Bundle defiant moment, Jarad took a picture with his mom while he had a grill in his mouth.
Taking the joke and the relationship, Carmella let him have that moment, capturing the close and understanding relationship.
Beyond these personal stories, Carmella Wallace has guided Juice WRLD’s life through his wrestles if addiction and mental health issues. She speaks at length about relentless she was in keeping him focused on his academics and insists that there be honest dialogue regarding any aspersions he may have been doing at that point in time. Having some sort of honest relationship with Juice WRLD was important in keeping up with his challenges by providing a support system on which he could lean back.
Since the very tragic news of Juice WRLD’s death in 2019, Carmella has definitely found her calling: continuing his legacy in very meaningful ways. She started the Live Free 999 foundation, which focuses on supporting mental health and substance abuse programs. This foundation speaks to Carmella’s selflessness in reaching out to help others who may be challenged by circumstances similar to those of her son, hence keeping his memory alive by making a difference in the lives of those in need.
