Michael Jackson: A Life to Remember or to Forget?

Michael Jackson was born August 29th, 1958 in Gary Indiana, and died June 25th, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. He was survived by 3 children, and was the seventh of nine children, including: Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, La Toya, Marlon, Randy, and Janet.

Michael Jackson had many issues in his life, and in many opinions was the victim of Fame. Being famous since childhood he joined The Jackson 5 with other members of his family while he was only 11 years old. Michael Jackson's 1982 Thriller is still the best selling record of all time.

Growing up in the limelight, a lot of people believe that Jackson didn't have enough time to be a kid. He was constantly working, constantly recording, and on the go all of the time. Which, to many, is a reasoning as to the reason he spent a lot of time at his home in Neverland Ranch. Which had an entire amusement park, with giraffes, and all types of zoo animals.

Jackson supported 39 charities and donated tons of money to these organizations throughout the years. Throughout his music, donations, and popularity, his image was tarnished in 1993 and again in 2005 when he was charged (and aquitted) for child sexual abuse. Though people tend to be separated down the middle as to if he was guilty or not, millions of people across the world showed mourning over his death.

Did Jackson deserve this much sympathy? Perhaps he was just a kid trapped in an adult's body. Maybe he was trying to relive his childhood through that of his children, and other children. Yet through all of the allegations, who honestly let's their children sleepover with a grown man? That is half the parent's fault for trusting anyone, even a celebrity, with their own children.

Jackson's life had many weird and off-the-wall events, such as the rumor he was bleaching his skin color, going through rigorous plastic surgery, and even missing court dates for his trials. Even through all the stress, Jackson was stressed with health problems since the early 90's. He had been sick awhile, probably from the way he lived his life, but according to many close to the singer, he was headed down a predictable road for a very long time.

Before his death, Michael was on many drugs to relieve pain and help him sleep including Xanax, sleeping pills, and regular injections of the narcotic demerol. Yet to many, leading up to his death, Michael was upbeat and happy, very ready for his 50-date comeback tour, eerily named, This is it.

There have been many odd reports, such as Michael buying "The Elephant Man" (Joseph Merrick's) bones and keeping them out of public view. He went on Oprah in 1993 to clear up issues such as this, his childhood abuse, missing out on his childhood, and even the fact that he was intensely lonely and cried himself to sleep at night. It was announced here for the first time that Michael had what was known as Vitiligo, this happens when the cells responsible for pigmentation wither and die.

Whether or not Jackson was guilty of the allegations, he was still the center of the media. Much like Joseph Merrick's, the fame that gave him life...

Eventually led to his death.