1D saved me: One Direction sign up Michael Jackson's former bodyguard
Alberto Alvarez has a new lease of life after being left penniless when the Jackson family sacked him after his evidence helped convict Conrad Murray, the People can reveal
One Direction have hired Michael Jackson’s faithful *bodyguard *after he was given the boot by the dead star’s relatives.
Alberto Alvarez, 36, tried *desperately to save Jacko and called an ambulance as the star’s life ebbed away.
He could have made a fortune from his story but saved it for a court of law.
Michael’s family relied on the minder’s evidence to convict Dr Conrad Murray of *involuntary manslaughter.
But after the fuss over last November’s trial had died down, they sacked Alberto. And despite all his loyalty the married dad of two was left penniless.
Now he is overjoyed that the world’s biggest boyband have saved him. Alberto will join them on the American leg of their 2013 world tour next June.
He said: “I’m really excited. They’re a great group of young men and they have great *talent. I am proud to work for them. Working for the boys has *pulled me through a *terrible time. It really helped me cope with what *happened three years ago when Michael died.
“I’ve been through the mill but I am coming out the other side.
“I just wanted to get the trial over. Since then I have felt a lot better.
“The events of three years ago are less heavy on my mind. They won’t ever go away but I do feel *better. I started *working as a *bodyguard again last year.
“And *working for One Direction – the *biggest boyband in the world – is so *exciting. I did some work for them in California last year and they liked me.
“Now every time they are here I work with them. The other week I was with Zayn Malik at the Video Music Awards in Los Angeles.
“A few months back I spent time with Louis Tomlinson and his girlfriend.
“They were talking about me *accompanying them on their big tour.”
Security: Alberto Alvarez will join the American leg of One Direction's world tour
Getty
The boys, Zayn, 19, Louis, 20, Harry Styles, 18, Niall Horan, 19, and Liam Payne, 19, have taken the US by storm.
Their new single Live While We’re Young, released today, is already No1 in 40 countries thanks to early orders.
Bosses realised their security needed to be beefed up. The lads were mobbed by 15,000 screaming girls when they appeared outside New York’s Rockefeller Center in April.
US guards invariably have a *licence to carry a gun.
A One Direction insider said: “American *bodyguards have been called in because fans can be very full on there. Mothers actually offer the boys large sums of money to sleep with their *teenage daughters. It is ridiculous.”
It was Alberto who called 911 – the US equivalent of 999 – as his famous boss lay dying on June 25, 2009.
The bodyguard’s choked-up voice was heard across the world on the tape *begging for assistance. He said: “We have a gentleman here who needs help. He has stopped breathing.”
Dr Murray, 59, had ordered him to gather up all the bottles of propofol *anaesthetic before he called the *emergency number. Only later did Alberto realise the doctor was trying to HIDE the powerful drug.
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He told the court in Los Angeles: “I thought we were packing to go to the hospital. I had no reason to believe that anything else was wrong.”
Alberto described how he pumped the star’s chest while Murray tried to give him the kiss of life as they waited for an ambulance to arrive.
Two months after 50-year-old Jackson died Alberto went to the police and told them what he had witnessed.
He turned down up to half a million pounds to tell his story on TV, saying he wanted it to come out in court.
At first the Jacksons vowed to keep him on the payroll to protect children Prince, 15, Paris, 14, and Blanket, 10.
But he was fired nine months later amid claims that he had failed to disclose a drink-driving arrest and a domestic *violence complaint.
Alberto’s friends say he was devastated by the loss of the job he loved. He *struggled financially because he had been forced to hire a lawyer to guide him through the Murray trial.
And he told how he was racked with guilt over Jackson’s death.
He said: “I’ve had sleepless nights. I play over in my mind what I could have done differently. I hoped people would *understand that I did everything in my *powers for Michael.”
http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/one-direction-sign-up-michael-1351336
Alberto Alvarez has a new lease of life after being left penniless when the Jackson family sacked him after his evidence helped convict Conrad Murray, the People can reveal
One Direction have hired Michael Jackson’s faithful *bodyguard *after he was given the boot by the dead star’s relatives.
Alberto Alvarez, 36, tried *desperately to save Jacko and called an ambulance as the star’s life ebbed away.
He could have made a fortune from his story but saved it for a court of law.
Michael’s family relied on the minder’s evidence to convict Dr Conrad Murray of *involuntary manslaughter.
But after the fuss over last November’s trial had died down, they sacked Alberto. And despite all his loyalty the married dad of two was left penniless.
Now he is overjoyed that the world’s biggest boyband have saved him. Alberto will join them on the American leg of their 2013 world tour next June.
He said: “I’m really excited. They’re a great group of young men and they have great *talent. I am proud to work for them. Working for the boys has *pulled me through a *terrible time. It really helped me cope with what *happened three years ago when Michael died.
“I’ve been through the mill but I am coming out the other side.
“I just wanted to get the trial over. Since then I have felt a lot better.
“The events of three years ago are less heavy on my mind. They won’t ever go away but I do feel *better. I started *working as a *bodyguard again last year.
“And *working for One Direction – the *biggest boyband in the world – is so *exciting. I did some work for them in California last year and they liked me.
“Now every time they are here I work with them. The other week I was with Zayn Malik at the Video Music Awards in Los Angeles.
“A few months back I spent time with Louis Tomlinson and his girlfriend.
“They were talking about me *accompanying them on their big tour.”
Security: Alberto Alvarez will join the American leg of One Direction's world tour
Getty
The boys, Zayn, 19, Louis, 20, Harry Styles, 18, Niall Horan, 19, and Liam Payne, 19, have taken the US by storm.
Their new single Live While We’re Young, released today, is already No1 in 40 countries thanks to early orders.
Bosses realised their security needed to be beefed up. The lads were mobbed by 15,000 screaming girls when they appeared outside New York’s Rockefeller Center in April.
US guards invariably have a *licence to carry a gun.
A One Direction insider said: “American *bodyguards have been called in because fans can be very full on there. Mothers actually offer the boys large sums of money to sleep with their *teenage daughters. It is ridiculous.”
It was Alberto who called 911 – the US equivalent of 999 – as his famous boss lay dying on June 25, 2009.
The bodyguard’s choked-up voice was heard across the world on the tape *begging for assistance. He said: “We have a gentleman here who needs help. He has stopped breathing.”
Dr Murray, 59, had ordered him to gather up all the bottles of propofol *anaesthetic before he called the *emergency number. Only later did Alberto realise the doctor was trying to HIDE the powerful drug.
Read more stories from The People
Sheridan smitten: Mrs Biggs star is dating Amy Winehouse’s ex Reg Traviss
"We are a very happy little family": X Factor hopeful Jade Ellis raises young daughter with gay lover
'I'm no talentless bimbo': Ex-Corrie star Helen Flanagan hits back at her critics
He told the court in Los Angeles: “I thought we were packing to go to the hospital. I had no reason to believe that anything else was wrong.”
Alberto described how he pumped the star’s chest while Murray tried to give him the kiss of life as they waited for an ambulance to arrive.
Two months after 50-year-old Jackson died Alberto went to the police and told them what he had witnessed.
He turned down up to half a million pounds to tell his story on TV, saying he wanted it to come out in court.
At first the Jacksons vowed to keep him on the payroll to protect children Prince, 15, Paris, 14, and Blanket, 10.
But he was fired nine months later amid claims that he had failed to disclose a drink-driving arrest and a domestic *violence complaint.
Alberto’s friends say he was devastated by the loss of the job he loved. He *struggled financially because he had been forced to hire a lawyer to guide him through the Murray trial.
And he told how he was racked with guilt over Jackson’s death.
He said: “I’ve had sleepless nights. I play over in my mind what I could have done differently. I hoped people would *understand that I did everything in my *powers for Michael.”
http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/one-direction-sign-up-michael-1351336
