Gloved One Dies

He was adored by fans for his music, his dancing and his personality – besides "Thriller," his blockbuster productions included "Off the Wall," "Billie Jean" and "Bad."

But he was studied by others for his bizarre behavior, including his routine entertaining of children overnight.

That behavior was ratcheted up in his later years, when his eccentricities and personal life grew to be obstacles to his career.

According to USA Today, his life apparently turned when he was filming a Pepsi ad and a fireworks accident set his hair on fire.

His health became an increasing subject of reports, especially as his obvious fascination with plastic surgery grew. He had several surgeries on his nose, his lips and even his chin.

At the same time, his skin grew significantly lighter, and rumors attributed this to skin bleaching. Those rumors, however, were laid to rest later when he was diagnosed with vitiligo, a skin disorder.

He had been attempting a comeback after years of tabloid headlines and was rehearsing for a series of 50 sold-out shows in London beginning next month. Jackson had won the backing of two billionaires for his return to the stage, according to the Los Angeles Times. Jackson, a strict vegetarian, was using a wheelchair a year ago but was exercising with a trainer and participating in daylong rehearsals with dancers half his age in preparation for the tour, reports the Times. Promoters of the shows said in March that he had passed a lengthy physical examination.

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Last night it was suspected his collapse could have been caused by an overdose of painkiller.

An Emergency Room source at UCLA hospital said Jackson aides told medics he had collapsed after an injection of potent Demerol — similar to morphine.

A Jacko source said: “Shortly after taking the Demerol he started to experience slow shallow breathing.

“His breathing gradually got slower and slower until it stopped.

“His staff started mouth-to-mouth and an ambulance was called which got there in eight minutes “Butfound he was in full respiratory arrest, no breathing and no pulse. They started full CPR and rushed him to hospital.

“When he arrived they started resuscitation, giving him heart shocks and inserted a breathing tube and other supportive measures to try and save his life.

“He never regained consciousness.The family was told that he had passed.”

The major hazards of meperidine, demerol, as with other narcotic analgesics, are respiratory depression and, to a lesser degree, circulatory depression; respiratory arrest, shock, and cardiac arrest have occurred.

There was strong evidence Jackson had been regularly snorting drugs – evidence that takes into account possible scarring from reconstructive nasal surgery.

Long-term cocaine use may affect your brain, heart, lungs, stomach, and bowels. Cocaine may cause seizures (convulsions), a stroke, or movements that you cannot control. These may include head jerking, constant chewing, and frequent eye blinking. If you have fast, jerky movements, and are unable to sit still, this may be called "crack dancing". Cocaine may cause an increased heart rate and blood pressure, and an irregular heartbeat. You may also develop a heart infection (in-FECK-shun), or have a heart attack.

Action Jackson had the "crack dancing" problem for sure!