Where were you on June 25th, 2009 when you heard the news of Michael Jackson’s passing? How did you hear about it?

[Oliverlogan263]

What was your reaction that day for those who could remember?

Michael’s tomb

[MrOracle]

I was preoccupied at the time as I was among more than a dozen companies and over a thousand people who lost their contracts because our ultimate employers had been breaking the law, and lost a big lawsuit. But I do remember that day.

I can't say that I was shocked. MJ had incredible talent, but he'd also lived a very tortured life and was treated worse than a performing monkey by his father, who expected him at 5 and 6 years old to do whatever it took to provide for the family and maintain their image.

I can't say if the allegations against him were true or not, but there is no question that he never had a childhood and that was going to screw anyone up. He'd clearly been living a tortured life, with music and performances being his only respite. It's not at all shocking to learn that he had a "Doctor Feelgood" prescribing him crazy meds - there's plenty of that in Hollywood.

I'd long been a fan of his music, particularly the 4 albums starting with Off The Wall, and I found it sad that people who said they didn't like him or his music for many years were suddenly wearing MJ T-shirts and playing his music again after his death.

[Anonymous]

I remember seeing it online.

For people like Michael Jackson two things can be true at once:

• He was an genius artist that literally changed our culture and helped bridge the gap with racial prejudices.
• He was a full on active pedo and anyone else probably would of been locked away for the rest of their life and likely beaten to death in gen pop.

I didn’t want to believe the second part for a while. Accusing someone of being a true pedo is the absolute worst accusation you can make on a person. Worse then a murderer, rapist (with adult victims), etc.

But he full on admitted to sharing a bed with a 13 year old boy for 30 days straight. Seriously, who does that? Really, who? Virtually nobody could even joke about that nowadays. Not even a full on comedian and not have people ever look at them the same way again.

But what that said him being a pedo doesn’t take away from what he accomplished in his life. Two things can be true at once.

[EmmaMary]

@Oliverlogan263

We were on holiday and visiting the underground cave at Jameos del Agua on the Island of Lanzarote (Canary Islands) when it was announced of his passing.

Lots of people were just standing still in utter disbelief, and the whole place went somewhat quiet for a while.

It was an extremely very sad moment, and one that I shall never forget.

[EmmaMary]

Thank you so much for the MHO.

[SeriouslyNotSerious]

I was just a kid that time lol. I saw my cousins in front of a computer, watching something. I got curious and saw a video about Michael Jackson's death. To be honest, I was scared at first. That was also the first time I knew about him. Now, I love his music so much. Always on my Spotify playlist. What a talented man. 💓

[JustinTheGreat]

I actually remember exactly where I was

I was in a Chinese restaurant in my hometown with my mom and my sister. My sister checked her voicemail and gasped, she was like “my friend just said Michael Jackson died! But she messes around a lot, I don’t believe her”

and then the people at the table next to us confirmed it was true

[Oliverlogan263]

What did your thought afterwards when you found it was true when he passed?

[BCA6010]

I was in Alaska on a cruise vacation.

[Oliverlogan263]

How did you react when you found out the news on that date on your vacation?

[BCA6010]

Something to the effect of "oh, that sucks" and went on with my day.

[KostasKouvalis]

I was riding in the car with my mom and they said it on the radio. I thought I misheard something at first, but then they said it again. They were playing "Beat It" and "Thriller" multiple times for the rest of the day as a tribute, even though it was a classic rock station.

[handsomelad70]

At the Riverside (East Side Windsor) Library branch trying to straighten my bad back when I heard that Michael could be gone. I went home and heard it confirmed on a Detroit-based sports talk show.(Incidentally,70's pinup girl Farrah Fawcett also died June 25,2009 and received about one one-millionth of "the King's of Pop's" publicity despite her great popularity as the most popular "Charlie's Angel," a 70's show starring three beautiful lady cops.)

[midnightmoon05]

Just had my second baby. So was preparing for family group photos with baby’s great grand mom and other members of the family… so no idea he died that day.
I do like his music and talent.

[GoodGuyBreakingBad]

I was in my living room with my cousin crying and my sister was on the phone with me,

[exitseven]

Nothing really jumps out at me. I had just purchased a fixer upper summer house. I was probably working on that.

[RingOfFire]

His music was great. His dancing was great. His act was great. But it was hard to be sad over the death of a pedophile who used to sleep with other peoples' children in his bed regularly.

[alice55]

at home eating chicken and potato with my family

[Fireguy17]

Absolutely o up.
I'm sure it was on the radio.
While talented, he had a lot of issues.

[DaBiggestBird]

I was at home still becoming self aware of overall existence

[DrPepper12]

In class with students. They didn't understand the significance

[legalboxers]

I was on duty help train a volunteer police officers, our job radio was going crazy and my cell phone

[Anonymous]

I was doing some military training. Our instructors told us about it.

[MemeSupreme]

i didn't even know he died bc i barely knew anything about music lol

[Jackblue]

My parents never cared much for his music, I had never heard it, my only familiarity with him was his eccentricity. I wasn't therefore overwhelmed.

[Nikki1989]

I don't know, but it was a relief not to have to listen to his tuneless, repetitive radio fodder anymore.

[Vegasrunner]

Gold Diggers nightclub inside the Golden Nuggett in LV

[Anonymous]

I do not know where i was because it was very insignificant. People act like it was major when it was not. Just a singer that happened to die. I never gave his death a second thought.

[Pterodon]

It was also when Farrah Fawcett died. I didn’t give a shit about his suicide it was inevitable