The 54-year-old Jackson brother said Thursday during an interview with Matt Lauer on NBC's "Today Show" that he would like Michael to be laid to rest at Neverland Ranch, and he reveals that he wishes he had died instead of his younger brother.
He also told Matt that his family brought Michael Jackson's three children Michael "Prince," Paris-Michael and Prince "Blanket," to see Michael's body after he passed away. Jermaine told Matt, "The therapist thought it was important for them to see their father ... so they could understand." He continued on to say, "But now they're fine. I know it's tough, but I think it was the best thing to do."
On his brother's struggles, he said, "He became a victim of his own success ... because it was hard for him ... he felt tremendous pressure." The interview was conducted at Michael's famed former home, Neverland Ranch, which he left after he was tried and acquitted on child molestation charges, and Jermaine says the experience tainted Michael's former love for his home: "He [only] looked at it [differently] because he was hurt, he was torn apart."
On media speculation that Michael could have been addicted to drugs, Jermaine said, "I had heard thing about prescription drugs when he [was burned on the set of a Pepsi commercial in 1984]. I don't know about these things, because I hate everything [to do] with drugs." Jermaine added, "For people to come forth and say things [when] they don't have the facts is very damaging to the family ... because we don't know."
Jermaine said that the world "wasn't ready for Michael," and added, "Michael was a gift, and I guess a lot of people who said the most awful things about him, they realize now how much they love him."
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