Demise of a King

Micheal Jackson

Pop music legend, Michael Jackson losses the battle for life as he dies at 51 of cardiac arrest
By George Umunnakwe
The sun on Thursday, June 25, 2009 set on Pop music legend, Michael Jackson, as he breathed his last on earth at the University of California, Los Angeles, United States of America (USA), medical centre.
His demise brought to a climax his battles with ill health over the years. The singer had suffered a cardiac arrest at his home before he was rushed to the hospital by paramedics who responded to a distress call from the Jacksons.
In 1978, before he attained success, Jackson had slipped and broke his nose during a “complex” dance routine. This accident would mark the beginning of his numerous rhinoplasty surgery. That year, after his nose was “fixed,” he complained of breathing difficulties. He was to undergo another surgery few years later.
He began to exhibit bizarre attitudes in 1986 when he was reported to have slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to slow his aging process. Unknown to many, it was Jackson who had allegedly sold this dummy to the press with pictures to promote his then upcoming science fiction movie, Captain EO. That same year, he had his fourth rhinoplasty and demanded for masculine features.
A cleft was put in his chin. During this period, he was diagnosed with lupus and vitiligo, a skin condition. From his original medium brown skin colour, it gradually grew lighter. According to him, the treatments he used for his condition further made him lighter and, with his make-up, his appearance made him look always pale.
A fan of the late American Pop star, Uri Geller, who was devasted on hearing of Jackson’s demise lamented thus: “I’m absolutely devasted and shocked. He was a young man terribly fit and basically in good shape the last time I saw him. I am just in total shock.”
Joe Jackson, the late star’s father who had earlier acknowledged that his son was not doing too well health wise, together with Latoya, the singer’s younger sister subbed uncontrollably seconds after Jackson gave up the ghost.
Jackson was due to perform 50 farewell concerts, bowing out on an illustrious music career spanning several decades which earned him a fortune. Signs of deterioation in his health became manifest last month when four of his “This Is It Concert Dates” were pushed back. But organisers had insisted that the dates were moved due to the sheer magnitude of the spectacle.
The first scheduled show of Jackson was due to take place on July 8. It was however pushed to July 13. The London shows for which several tickets have already been sold out would have marked his first live performance in more than two years.
Born in August 1958, Jackson was mired in a plethora of controversies in the course of his music career, one of which was his alleged sexual molestation of a 13-year-old boy for which he went on trial in 2005.
He was also accused of conspiring to abduct the boy. He was however acquitted of all the charges.
Staying away from preying eyes, Jackson had spent time in Bahrain, Ireland and France since the child molestation case ended.