The Jackson Family Memories Of Michael

''As a child, Michael loved to play in his shop: he built a counter, put a tablecloth on top and pots with all his candy. This store was usually on the door of our room or on the lower floor of the bunk bed; Michael sat on his knees behind the counter, waiting for his customers. We traded with each other, exchanging coins of the change received from Mr. Long and sometimes coins we found on the street.

But Michael at that time was known as a great artist, not a great businessman and this became clear when one day our father asked him for a report on why he was late for rehearsals.

Where have you been? Joseph asked.

I went to get candy.  replied Michael.

How much did you pay for them?

Five cents.

- And how much are you going to sell them for?

For five cents.

Joseph slapped him on the head and said:

- You mustn't sell anything for the same price you bought!

"Why can't I give them away for five cents?" He asked when we were already sitting in our room. Logic collided with Michael, he didn't understand why he got slapped. I left him in bed mumbling; he put his candy in piles and continued to play in the store as he liked it.

A few days later, Joseph saw Michael in the backyard, sharing candy with the children on the street. They were children from families even poorer than ours, and Michael no longer sold his sweets, he simply distributed them for free.

— Excerpt from Jermaine Jackson's Book You Are Not Alone: Michael: Through a Brother's Eyes

"This photo was taken in early 1984 while we were preparing for the Victory Tour. It's me on the left next to Michael and the guy with the Victory ball is Jackie. Randy is up, with Tito on the right.

We really wanted to dress up like The Little Rascals, a TV show we watched when we were kids, so the photo portrays that.

Our Victory tour took us all over America. We did some shows in Montreal and Toronto too, and we sang all the hits like Shake Your Body, Heartbreak Hotel, Can You Feel It and Blame It On The Boogie.

Being the younger brothers, we had... Let's say, a lot of problems. We were called the "dangerous" duo. We did things like balance buckets of water at the top of the hotel door and even put powder if itchy on our security guard's bald head"

— Marlon Jackson

"Many have criticized the way my father raised us, in putting on masks, but I appreciate him having that idea, it was nice, fun to be a lot of characters, because we got to go to chuck E. Cheese and a lot of places. Because thanks to him we were able to be normal, which he could never be as a child". - Paris Jackson

"The last time I saw Michael I went to his house to visit the children, we sat in the living room and played. The children were very happy and Michael was happy, everyone was laughing. I did not go to his room at the hospital the day he died. The kids did it, but I don't see how they did it, they kept hugging and kissing him and Paris took his hand even though he was dead. I didn't want to go in there because I wanted to remember him smiling and laughing like he was on our last day together. No I wanted to remember him lying dead in that hospital bed, the world was crying to the superstar, but I, I was crying for my baby, the one I held in my arms and saw his birth." - Katherine Jackson

"When Michael was creating, you could hear the music of the environment. My son was a great thinker, a dreamer. And somehow he believed he could never fail if he put love into work.

I didn't have to teach my son to be humble about his fame... It came naturally to him.

I remember when he was a kid, I told him that live performances were a job and that it didn't need to make him better than the others.
My message may have echoed with him, but I was often surprised by his modesty.

Michael lived an amazing life and was very grateful to be able to do exactly what he loved through his art.

But both my son and I agree that this fame does not come without a price to pay.

It was a blessing and a curse.

Regardless of what people might think, Michael was an exceptional person, as a son and as a father.

A person who has done everything with the best of intentions, hoping to inspire others through his unprecedented love and humanity.

The whole world knew him, but people didn't know him. Not in that sense.

Despite the tribulations you've been through, I believe you've still been able to fill your life with joy, as you really deserved.

I think my son Michael has achieved his purpose of life.''

— Katherine Esther Jackson, Michael Jackson's mother.