Priscilla Presley’s son, Navarone Garibaldi Garcia, is defending himself after coming under fire for asking followers to donate to a GoFundMe for his new business venture.
Garcia recently started the fundraising page and shared it on his Instagram in hopes of raising money to start an organic pizza business run from his driveway in Los Angeles.
Navarone Garibaldi Garcia has come under fire for asking followers for donations despite coming from a wealthy family. Instagram/nava_rone
The 37-year-old is hoping to raise $5,500 USD ($7,900) to cover the cost of an industrial pizza oven, but followers on social media have questioned why Garcia is coming to them for help rather than his famous mother.
Responding to the criticism, Garcia shared a video on Instagram saying that he had already “stashed away” $3,000USD ($4,300), reminding followers that “every little bit helps”.
“Haters gonna hate… and I’m sure I’ll have to explain this many more times to ignorant people who think I should “ask my mom” or that I have money,” he wrote in the caption.
“YEAH, I also have a lot of bills, I also have a budget, I also donate to other causes… I also give to the homeless… I just don’t film and put it on YouTube… but, I also have crazy ADD and try to do lots of things. if I just went all in every time I thought I had a great idea… I’d be broke in 2 days.
“I’m not asking anything to donate that can’t afford to, I’m offering free pizza to people that donate… and I’m putting in a lot of my own money to buy this oven.
“Just asking for help on the remaining bit that’s out of my budget. That’s all. Love and Peace, Kindness and pizza.”
While there were plenty of comments of support, Garcia’s attempt to quash the criticism only seemed to generate more.
“Didn’t Lisa Marie leave $ millions to you?” one commenter questioned.
“If you have the money to afford two homes, then you have the money to buy your own damn pizza oven,” added another.
The music producer struggle had struggled with addiction since he was a teenager. He got clean after multiple rehab stints, eventually living with his mother who was able to help him. Amanda Edwards
Some comments also questioned what the money would be used for, alluding to Garcia’s decades-long battle with addiction to heroin and fentanyl. He got clean in 2020 with the help of his mother.
“Fentinyl was 3,000 a month, and at the time I wasn’t paying 2 home mortgages,” he responded in the comments.
“This pizza over is 14,000 and I am putting it most of it myself. Asking for help with the remaining 5,500 (now 2,500) in exchange for amazing organic pizza. Do you have a problem, awake person?”