First I have to say I never knew the man. Never met him or been to any of his concerts. I am 19 yo and what I know of him has been through MTV, my mom playing his music and growing up with new music he released in the nineties to 2000. Yet his death had such an impact on me and the entire world.
I live in Florida, and i was at the beach when the calls started coming in to me and all my friends about his death. We immediately went to our hotel room and turned to CNN. From that day to now- one day post the memorial service-I still can't believe he is gone.
It hit me twice that it was real. First, it was at the BET awards when Jamie Foxx began the show with a dance imitation of Beat It. I then realized that the person who did that song among so many other chart toppers will never be alive to perform it again.
The other time it hit me that he was gone was at the memorial service when it began. The singers began to sing and at the first sight of the casket tears just started to streaming down my face uncontrollably! I was like what is happening to me. I have no ties to this man whatsoever.
I don't know, maybe like the millions of people around the world who also did not know him personally; we are somehow all connected to Michael through his music. It is most certainly a powerful connection though; somewhat unexplainable and eerie. In addition, a part of me feels like he, like his brother Marlon said, "can finally be left alone." He can finally rest.
I am proud to call myself a loyal fan. I love his music,and I love him and all the good things he has done for the children of this world. Rest In Peace Mike. You will be greatly missed. Your music will live on forever in our hearts and on the dance floor; and I like many others will make sure of that!
