The Passing of an Icon

There are moments in our lifetime that shake us for various reasons. These moments are frozen in time and we remember amazing details related to them.

Do you remember where you were, what you were doing and who you were with when 9/11 happened? When Princess Diana died? When the tsunami hit so many shores?  When Barrack Obama was sworn in as President of the United States of America? …..When Michael Jackson died?

I remember exactly what I was doing during those momentous times.

Michael Jackson’s death was a shock … I was in the middle of a BNI Chapter meeting, it was just about 7:15 am and an sms came in from a friend of mine who was absolutely devastated by his passing. I stared at the message thinking it couldn’t be true! Michael Jackson dead … but how can this be?

I knew it was no prank as my friend is as serious as you can get … he’s a psychiatrist!

Michael Jackson’s death then hit the world. Newspapers, radio stations, TV Channels started dedicating entire slots to him. Celebrities, politicians, rock stars, people from all around the world came out and had something to say about him. His public memorial is being telecast live to the world!

What a man, what an icon, what a talent!

I grew up watching his videos fascinated by his dancing and his music. I watched his cartoon series and sang along to his music….

I was fortunate to watch him live in Stadium Merdeka. The tickets were a gift from a friend and patient, as a thank you for some work I did for her. Rema and I sat in the crowd and sang along and watched fascinated as he danced like no other living person can.

Michael Jackson touched my life. His ‘I’ll be There’ I sang whilst riding my bicycle when I was 10 and in a duet with Richard Toyad when I was in university. I grew up with his songs, his music and sang a long, and sang along, and sang along.

Yes … he touched, coloured and filled my life with his music… as he did for so many and for so many generations.

Michael, be Peace… You are not alone.