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Despite his success, Michael Jackson was a self-conscious person who worried about his appearance and wanted nothing more than to please his fans
By Jennifer Leighfield
ON June 25, people around the world looked on in astonishment as the news broke that one of the most famous stars of the past decades, Michael Jackson, had died of cardiac arrest at his home in Holmby Hills, Los Angeles, California, aged just 50 years old. Despite the fact we had seen Jackson in a frail and unhealthy state for some time, no-one was prepared for the sudden death. As is normally the case with stars of this category, scandal and rumours were not far behind.
So far, little is known about the exact circumstances of his untimely death, but it seems that his personal physician, Conrad Murray, found him collapsed on the second floor of the home, not breathing but with a faint pulse. He administered CPR to no avail. A member of staff at Jackson's home called the paramedics at 12:21pm on June 25, 2009.
When paramedics arrived three minutes and 17 seconds later, Jackson had no pulse and they were unable to revive him. He was rushed to hospital where again staff attempted unsuccessfully to resuscitate him. He was pronounced dead at 2:26 pm.
There have been rumours that his death came approximately one hour after receiving an injection of pethidine (Demerol), a painkiller to which his is said to have been addicted. Murray was taken in for questioning but denies prescribing Jackson with Demerol and was released without charges after three hours interrogation. Murray was allegedly employed to care for Jackson just 11 days before his death by the firm behind his fifty forthcoming concerts at London’s O2 Arena that were due to start in July and were all sold out.
Jackson’s body was taken by police for a thorough examination and the preliminary autopsy revealed nothing out of the ordinary. However, his family, suspecting foul play, requested a second autopsy. This revealed that the King of Pop, one of the most revered stars of our time, weighed only 51 kilograms at the time of his death and his stomach contained no food, only pills that had not dissolved. He also had several broken ribs and four needle marks on his chest which are thought to be the result of failed attempts by medical staff to resuscitate him. It has also been reported that he was practically bald and was wearing a wig. Forensic specialists are also said to have found bruises on his knees, back and shins that could be the result of a recent fall.
Apparently his body had several scars as a result of at least thirteen plastic surgery operations he had undergone.
Michael Jackson leaves behind three young children: Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr., Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince "Blanket" Michael Jackson II. Temporary custody of the children has been awarded to Michael’s mother.
Grace Rwaramba, a former nanny who looked after Jackson's children, claimed Jackson was addicted to pain killers and anti-depressants, and claimed to have had to pump his stomach more than once. Other associates of Jackson claimed he may have been suffering from anorexia or bulimia, as well as a lung disease known as Alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency, for which he was receiving injections of Alpha 1-antitrypsin. The condition meant that on some days he was unable to sing or even speak. He is also believed to have suffered from vitiligo and lupus.
He is reported to have been extremely upset about the upcoming tour, fearing he may in some way disappoint his fans. He was not eating or sleeping and was having constant nightmares. Some even thought him to be suicidal. He compared himself to Elvis and claimed to be tired of life.
Michael Joseph Jackson was born August 29, 1958 in Gary, Indiana, an industrial suburb of Chicago. Despite being one of the biggest names in pop music, the following he had, and his charismatic stage presence, he was said to be a very shy and introverted person who spoke very quietly and only came to life when around children, a love which led him to face charges after several boys, one of whom has now retracted his testimony, claimed Michael had behaved inappropriately with them.
Eccentric he may have been, but no-one can deny that Jackson was an incredible artist who had a following of millions. But unfortunately, the greater his success, the more concerned he became about his personal image, leading him to undergo surgery and fall into serious illness.
Claiming to have essentially had no childhood himself, Michael had always proved to be someone special. Despite his father and brothers reportedly engaging in open and exclusively sexual relationships with groupies and fans, Michael is said never to have been keen on this practice and even warned girls not to approach his brothers in an attempt to prevent them from getting hurt. He was raised by his mother, a devout Jehovah’s Witness. Michael claims he was both physically and mentally abused by his father.
We will never know the truth about his private life, but Jacko maintained his innocence, saying that it was others who were perverted for seeing his normal, loving relationships with children as something out of the ordinary. Those who were close to him claim he was a kind and loving person, and despite their problems later on in their relationship, his ex-wife Lisa Marie Presley spoke of him as an excellent husband and lover. Their relationship was also surrounded by myths, but Jackson claimed they were true soul mates. His decision later on to marry Debbie Rowe, with whom he had two children which she claims he did not father, was also a polemic one. After coming to some type of economic agreement, Rowe gave Jackson full custody of the children and now claims she is not sure whether she will take any action to get them back.
While the international media frenzy continues to speculate over Jackson’s death, tributes from fans, friends and fellow musicians continue to come in. "I can't stop crying over the sad news," Madonna told People. "I have always admired Michael Jackson. The world has lost one of the greats, but his music will live on forever! My heart goes out to his three children and other members of his family. God bless."
Despite all the rumours surrounding him, Jackson’s fan showed true devotion for him, and it cannot be denied that show business has lost one of its brightest stars.
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