Vincentians remember Michael Jackson – the king of pop

As final arrangements are being made for the funeral of musical legend Michael Jackson, Vincentians continue to join the rest of the world in mourning the passing of The King of Pop.{{more}}

Jackson passed away on Thursday, June 25th, at about 6pm local time, at the age of 50, due to what is believed to have been cardiac arrest.

Vincentians were thrown into a state of shock as the news spread that the musical icon had been rushed to a Los Angeles hospital.

Shock turned to sadness, long faces and tears as persons realized that the singer was no more.

On Friday, though, it was the beginning of the carnival season here. Many vehicles, radio stations and persons selling cds opted to play Jackson’s music throughout the day, as they reminisced about the musical legend, trading their favorite memories of the singer, dancer, actor, choreographer and humanitarian.

Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana, in 1958.

The seventh of nine children, he rose to fame at age 10, after his father Joseph formed a band called the Jackson Five with the young Jackson and four of his brothers, about five years earlier.

Through the years, he rose to prominence as a solo artiste, and also gained notoriety for the changes to his physical appearance and allegations of child molestation, which he denied.

Closer to the end of his life, Jackson had been plagued with numerous financial problems, which caused him to give up a number of his assets, including his famed Neverland Ranch in Santa Barbara, California.

He had recently announced and was in training for a 50-date tour, which was scheduled to begin in London in a few weeks time.

Jackson, the father of three, is expected to live on in the hearts and minds of people the world over, even as speculation abounds as to the circumstances surrounding his death.