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Fans Remember King of Pop a Year Later
By Sam Womack/Staff Writer swomack@lompocrecord.com | Posted: Friday, June 25, 2010 11:39 pm | (0) Comments
Elija Trevino, 3, imitates one of Michael Jackson’s signature moves Friday at Neverland Ranch in Los Olivos on to pay tribute on the one-year anniversary of the pop icon’s death. //Leah Thompson/Staff
A Toronto woman needed closure, a French couple wanted to pay respects and a Santa Maria boy, his face shadowed by a black fedora and one hand covered by a sequined, white glove, just had to dance.
These were a sampling of fans drawn to the gates of Neverland Valley Ranch near Los Olivos on Friday for the one-year anniversary of the King of Pop’s death.
“I was never more devastated in my life when Michael Jackson died,” said Cindy Montrichard, 34 of Toronto, Canada, speaking through her tears. “As long as I can remember, he’s always been a part of my life.”
Last year on June 25, the legendary entertainer died suddenly at age 50 in his Hollywood home. Spurred by rumors that Jackson would be buried at the ranch, thousands of fans from around the world flocked to the site of his former Santa Ynez Valley residence.
This year, there were no vendors, and no miles of cars, RVs, tents and media trucks lining the narrow, rural Figueroa Mountain Road.
Instead, small groups of families and friends drifted somberly along the entrance area, leaving flowers or other mementos and signing short notes of affection on posters or the flat rocks in the stone wall.
Staring at the inauspicious front gate to Neverland Ranch, Montrichard explained in a tear-filled voice that her childhood was difficult and far from perfect. Jackson was her role model and his music gave her hope and comfort.
“I am who I am because of him,” she said. “I just hope he’s in a better place, because he was so kind and misunderstood. ... His songs always had an inspiring message.”
Montrichard had left flowers and read a heartfelt message to Jackson’s final resting place at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Hollywood.
“I’m here with my best girlfriends and I have three days to say goodbye and get some sort of closure,” the Canadian said. “I felt like I knew him. I felt his pain. Everything he went through, I felt it.”
She was saved from total melancholy by the sight of 3-year-old Eli Trevino, of Santa Maria, striking an iconic Jackson pose, while dressed like the singer from his “Beat It” music video — with a red jacket and short, black pants.
Eli has been impersonating Jackson for the past year, and inherited a love of Jackson from his family.
“He was the greatest musician alive,” said Eli’s brother, Henry Salas. “He had a good message — just to love people and be kind, not to be prejudiced and just to love everybody.”
Salas said the family began watching Jackson’s music videos after his death, and on his own Eli began to mimic the famed dancer’s moves.
Sitting on a low rock wall and dressed in a black military-style jacket — reminiscent of Jackson’s “Bad” era — Melanie Zerbini, 31, of Paris, France, watched Eli perform.
“I’m so happy to see all the people here to see Michael. With Michael Jackson, everybody speaks the same language,” Zerbini said with her soft accent. She and a friend traveled from Paris, to view the sweeping vista that Jackson called “home” for nearly two decades.
The pop star turned the former cattle ranch into his own private amusement park in 1988, but following an arrest and subsequent acquittal of child molestation charges in 2003, Jackson resided in areas outside of Santa Barbara County.
In 2008, he sold property to a Delaware-based corporation for approximately $35 million, but he continued to retain interest in the property.
On Friday, Jackson’s father, Joe Jackson, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Dr. Conrad Murray — charged with giving the pop superstar a lethal dose of sedatives one year ago — accusing the Nevada doctor of negligence, secrecy and poor training.
The complaint, which seeks more than $75,000, accuses Murray of professional negligence for providing the singer with a mix of sedatives — including the anesthetic propofol — that authorities say killed him
http://www.lompocrecord.com/news/local/article_e1ce1e6e-80ed-11df-8e04-001cc4c03286.html
By Sam Womack/Staff Writer swomack@lompocrecord.com | Posted: Friday, June 25, 2010 11:39 pm | (0) Comments
Elija Trevino, 3, imitates one of Michael Jackson’s signature moves Friday at Neverland Ranch in Los Olivos on to pay tribute on the one-year anniversary of the pop icon’s death. //Leah Thompson/Staff A Toronto woman needed closure, a French couple wanted to pay respects and a Santa Maria boy, his face shadowed by a black fedora and one hand covered by a sequined, white glove, just had to dance.
These were a sampling of fans drawn to the gates of Neverland Valley Ranch near Los Olivos on Friday for the one-year anniversary of the King of Pop’s death.
“I was never more devastated in my life when Michael Jackson died,” said Cindy Montrichard, 34 of Toronto, Canada, speaking through her tears. “As long as I can remember, he’s always been a part of my life.”
Last year on June 25, the legendary entertainer died suddenly at age 50 in his Hollywood home. Spurred by rumors that Jackson would be buried at the ranch, thousands of fans from around the world flocked to the site of his former Santa Ynez Valley residence.
This year, there were no vendors, and no miles of cars, RVs, tents and media trucks lining the narrow, rural Figueroa Mountain Road.
Instead, small groups of families and friends drifted somberly along the entrance area, leaving flowers or other mementos and signing short notes of affection on posters or the flat rocks in the stone wall.
Staring at the inauspicious front gate to Neverland Ranch, Montrichard explained in a tear-filled voice that her childhood was difficult and far from perfect. Jackson was her role model and his music gave her hope and comfort.
“I am who I am because of him,” she said. “I just hope he’s in a better place, because he was so kind and misunderstood. ... His songs always had an inspiring message.”
Montrichard had left flowers and read a heartfelt message to Jackson’s final resting place at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Hollywood.
“I’m here with my best girlfriends and I have three days to say goodbye and get some sort of closure,” the Canadian said. “I felt like I knew him. I felt his pain. Everything he went through, I felt it.”
She was saved from total melancholy by the sight of 3-year-old Eli Trevino, of Santa Maria, striking an iconic Jackson pose, while dressed like the singer from his “Beat It” music video — with a red jacket and short, black pants.
Eli has been impersonating Jackson for the past year, and inherited a love of Jackson from his family.
“He was the greatest musician alive,” said Eli’s brother, Henry Salas. “He had a good message — just to love people and be kind, not to be prejudiced and just to love everybody.”
Salas said the family began watching Jackson’s music videos after his death, and on his own Eli began to mimic the famed dancer’s moves.
Sitting on a low rock wall and dressed in a black military-style jacket — reminiscent of Jackson’s “Bad” era — Melanie Zerbini, 31, of Paris, France, watched Eli perform.
“I’m so happy to see all the people here to see Michael. With Michael Jackson, everybody speaks the same language,” Zerbini said with her soft accent. She and a friend traveled from Paris, to view the sweeping vista that Jackson called “home” for nearly two decades.
The pop star turned the former cattle ranch into his own private amusement park in 1988, but following an arrest and subsequent acquittal of child molestation charges in 2003, Jackson resided in areas outside of Santa Barbara County.
In 2008, he sold property to a Delaware-based corporation for approximately $35 million, but he continued to retain interest in the property.
On Friday, Jackson’s father, Joe Jackson, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Dr. Conrad Murray — charged with giving the pop superstar a lethal dose of sedatives one year ago — accusing the Nevada doctor of negligence, secrecy and poor training.
The complaint, which seeks more than $75,000, accuses Murray of professional negligence for providing the singer with a mix of sedatives — including the anesthetic propofol — that authorities say killed him
http://www.lompocrecord.com/news/local/article_e1ce1e6e-80ed-11df-8e04-001cc4c03286.html