King of Pop Laid to Rest
Michael Jackson will be laid to rest in an intimate family funeral on Tuesday morning, July 7, followed by a spectacular public send-off by legendary Stevie Wonder.
The singer will be buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, Los Angeles County, where his grandmother Martha Bridges and Hollywood legends like Walt Disney, Clark Gable, Errol Flynn, Humphrey Bogart, Sammy Davis Jnr and Nat King Cole have also been laid to rest.
Dr Tohme Tohme, Jackson’s former spokesman stated: “The plan is he is going to be buried on Tuesday at Forest Lawn. It will be a closed casket. That’s what the family want. The children, of course, will be going.”
The family are reportedly upset that they have not been allowed to bury the King of Pop at his beloved Neverland ranch. The Los Angeles county council refused to grant permission for the family to have a funeral procession extending from the morgue to the Neverland ranch. The original plan had included a public viewing of the body, prior to a private funeral.
Thousands of mourners will watch Wonder – a lifetime friend of Jackson’s – on stage at the place where Jackson last performed while rehearsing for his London tour.
Jeffrey Daniel, of 80s pop group Shalamar – the man who taught Jackson his signature moonwalk –stated that “The memorial is going to be one of the most memorable and outstanding shows ever.”
“There are still a lot of plans being discussed but one thing for sure is that Michael has always been a great show and sending him off with a great show is the best tribute we could pay him.”
The legend, who tragically passed away last Thursday at the age of 50, leaves behind mother Katherine 79, Prince Michael Jackson Jr. 12, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, 11 and Prince Michael Joseph Jackson II, 7.