He was an incredibly damaged human being, from his father leaving when he was 7 and then his mother being bi-polar and an alcoholic. Yet somehow, he rose to become one of America’s biggest entertainers — and today, everyone knows his name… Check comments ⬇️

Today, he fills arenas around the world with his golden voice and timeless classics. Many consider him one of the greatest songwriters of all time.

But his childhood was far from peaceful.

Recently, the icon opened up about his mother’s illness, his father’s violent behavior, and the times they struggled with poverty.

Fled Nazi Germany