Brett Barnes6 hrs · Twitter
7 years ago I lost my best friend, but the world lost an icon #MJforever
iamnaomicampbell#I miss you #michaeljackson @michaeljackson #mj #forever #R I P
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'King of Pop' lives on for visitors to Gary childhood home on death anniversary
Henry, a Kansas City, Mo., resident who declined to give his last name, uses SnapChat to record a video outside the Jackson residence in Gary. (Jim Karczewski / Post-Tribune)
Carrie NapoleonPost-Tribune
A small but steady stream of visitors made their way to 2300 Jackson St. in Gary Saturday, posing for selfies in front of Michael Jackson's boyhood home on the seventh anniversary of the 'King of Pop's' death.
Visitors came from northwest Indiana and around the country, making sure their trip to the Chicago area included a stop at the white two-bedroom bungalow in which Jackson and his eight siblings spent their early years and where the Jackson 5 got their start.
Larcile Gilmore, of Gary, and her daughter Darneshia Childs, of Arlington, Texas, took pictures of Jackson's home, the monuments and the house next door, which Jackson's estate purchased and filled the windows with large photos of Jackson.
Childs, in town to see her brother compete in a fighting tournament in Fort Wayne, said she wanted to accompany her mother, who tries to visit the house on the anniversaries of Jackson's birth and death. Gilmore said Jackson was a big part of the family's household when her children were growing up.
"My son used to dance like Michael Jackson … my son still can impersonate him," said Gilmore, noting that Jackson's music filled their home when her children were young. She's happy the house has been turned into a memorial, she said, and is hopeful a gift shop or museum might open one day there.
"It makes you feel good. He is a good legend," Gilmore said.
"It shows a lot of people who live here in Gary what you can become. It gives people hope," Childs said.
Growing up in the city, Gilmore said she never thought about visiting Jackson's home. Now it seems more important. "It gives people motivation," she said.
Jackson suffered a fatal heart attack on June 25, 2009, following an overdose of prescription pain medication Propofol. Since then, fans have flocked to his Gary home on the anniversary of his death to pay their respects.
Gilmore and Childs said they are unwavering in their support of Jackson despite media reports this past week that pornographic images were found in the star's bathroom and bedroom at his Neverland Ranch in California. The Jackson estate rebuked the Radar Online account, which cited police reports, saying "Everything in these reports, including what the County of Santa Barbara calls 'content that appears to be obtained off the internet or through unknown sources' is false, no doubt timed to the anniversary of Michael's passing."
They say it is not fair to keep bringing up the past since Jackson is no longer alive to defend himself.
Those visiting the home Saturday tended to agree.
Sheila Allen, of Winter Haven, Fla., traveling through the area looking at cars, said she decided to stop and pay tribute to Jackson's memory.
"I am a fan, absolutely," Allen said.
Allen said while you cannot separate the musician from his alleged acts, she doubted the veracity of reports released in the days leading up to the anniversary of his death.
Katie and Rhea Melrose, who relocated to Greenfield from San Diego, said they were on their way to Chicago for the weekend when they decided to stop in Gary to see the singer's home.
"I didn't even know it was the anniversary of this death," Rhea Melrose said. The couple didn't want to pass up an opportunity to do they've been wanting to do since moving from California a year ago.
"We really wanted to come up," Katie Melrose said.
Both were born in the early 1980s and Michael Jackson's music was always No. 1.
"I actually didn't read about (the pornography) until today. I have a hard time believing it," Rhea Melrose said. "I still love his music. It's time to give it a rest."
"The media is just trying to make him look bad for no reason," Katie Melrose said.
Carrie Napoleon is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
Copyright © 2016, Post-Tribune
LOVE for Michael at Neverland
chrisbrownofficialThe GREATEST TO EVER DO IT!!!! ETERNALLY GRATEFUL for being inspired by you and really showing the world that it doesn't matter where u come from. YOUNG BLACK KID FROM GARY INDIANA BROUGHT THE WORLD TOGETHER WITH HIS MUSIC AND STILL IS TODAY. SHOWING US THAT IF YOU BELIEVE WHOLE HEARTEDLY, you can accomplish anything!!!! I LOVE YOU MICHAEL JACKSON!! #THEMOONWALKER
https://www.facebook.com/michaeljackson
As we take time today to reflect with sadness on the loss of Michael Jackson seven years ago, we can’t help but also acknowledge the enduring impact of his legacy and spirit that continues to inspire people in all corners of the world. In the past year alone, Thriller became the first album in history to be certified triple Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America for sales in excess of 30 million in the US alone. Michael’s timeless masterpiece Off the Wall was celebrated through a new documentary which received widespread accolades while sparking a renewed appreciation for his genius from both critics and the public worldwide. But Michael Jackson was far more than a multitalented entertainer. In an uncertain world too often plagued by violence and intolerance, Michael’s messages of universal love, compassion, hope and unity are even more relevant today. In his name — for his children, and for everyone inspired by his compassion to "make a better place" for the present and the future — we ask you to keep Michael in your heart. -
The Estate of Michael Jackson
