More than two months after his shocking death at the age of 50, Michael Jackson was finally laid to rest Thursday night at a service attended by both the King of Pop’s family and his many famous friends.
In addition to his parents, Joe and Katherine Jackson, and his several siblings, some others in attendance at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, Calif., were Elizabeth Taylor, Berry Gordy, Quincy Jones, ex-wife Lisa Marie Presley, Kenny Ortega, Macaulay Culkin (along with girlfriend Mila Kunis), baseball legend Barry Bonds, actor Chris Tucker, Reverend Al Sharpton and Corey Feldman.
The service had been scheduled to begin at 8pm on Thursday night, but didn’t actually start until about an hour later than planned.
In the hours leading up to the funeral, hundreds of people — a mix of both fans and media — crowded the street corners surrounding the entrance to Forest Lawn.
Guests began to arrive at around 6:15 p.m., with Taylor and Tucker among the early arrivals.
The police then closed off Los Feliz Blvd. near the cemetery for the when the Jackson family motorcade pulled into Forest Lawn just after 8pm to the chants of “Michael, Michael!” from the gathered crowd outside the gates.
Some Jackson family members showed their appreciation to the fans by rolling down their windows to and wave and say thank you.
Michael’s sister La Toya Jackson was the last to arrive before the service commenced.
Sporting matching suits with bright red ties and each wearing one white glove, Michael’s brothers waited as his casket, topped by a bountiful bouquet of white flowers and a king’s crown, was brought to the gravesite and then acted as pallbearers for their late brother and bandmate.
BY PATRICIA RAMOS
rest in peace MJ. We love you and we thank you for the music, video’s, dancing, concert. For me you are the best, the biggest, the greatest entertainer that ever lived. Thank you MJ for given us this big gift of love. Thank you…
r.i.p. amine….
l thank god M,J at rest and no when can ever hurt him againg because thier where ass,s out thier that just took his money and that was a shame he never hurt any one in his life and for you,s out thier he was the best in the wourld so please leave his family alone thier hurting bad over this and please stop saying bad things about M ,J. because that boy came out after M ,J. died and said he NEVER touched me after all that shit poor M ,J. went throw my heart goes out to his family and good bless them god will watch over him real good…RNP…M,J………one day all that shit that happened to you thay all will get thiers in the end and that dr, and every one that was in your home at that time. MISS YOU MY DEAR M,J.
Michael Jackson, the greatest entertainer of all time. Innocent in all manor of the word, Rest In Peace where no-one else will hurt you anymore.