The other side of Michael Jackson
http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-414018
Thank You Michael Jackson for your life long charity work
Leslie Robinette was 6 years old when she first met Michael Jackson.
An ailing little girl with barely any hair and a swollen stomach, Robinette suffered then, as now, from aplastic anemia caused by the genetic disease fanconi anemia, which she describes as being "like a little Pac-Man going after all your bone marrow."
Jackson was only 15. Robinette now believes he must have been more nervous than she was.
In 1973, she and her family went to Seattle, where she stayed in Seattle Children's Hospital - then The Children's Orthopedic Hospital and Medical Center.
Robinette received a bone marrow transplant, which at the time was an experimental surgery. She was one of the youngest to ever have the procedure. She went through chemotherapy, radiation and an ever-changing plethora of medications.
But worst of all, she was kept in isolation for three months.
She spoke to her sisters through walkie-talkies, and only her mother was allowed in the room. Doctors told the family they had done all they could do, but her condition just wasn't improving.
"After you go through all of that, you just get tired and want to go home; you kind of give up the fight," Robinette said.
She listened to her favorite group, The Jackson 5, on a sterilized record player doctors allowed her to have.
On March 7, she received her first visitor.
"I was sitting in my room looking out the window, ironically listening to 'Looking Through the Window' by the Jackson 5, when I heard all the nurses going wild and carrying on," Robinette said.
She looked through the plate glass that was her only connection to the busy hospital and saw The Jackson 5 standing there.
"They asked me which one I wanted to see, and I said I wanted to see Michael - he was the cute one," Robinette said, laughing.
She described the teenage Jackson as obviously shy but incredibly kind and sincere. He gave her an autographed picture, held her hand and asked her how she was doing.
"It had been so long since I'd touched someone not wearing gloves, and I saw hair instead of just a green cap with eyeballs peeking out," said Robinette.
After that visit, Robinette started getting better.
"I would never say that he saved her life - that's crazy - but he gave her back a little of her will to live because she had lost it," said Trine Robinette, 49, Leslie's sister.
Leslie eventually did improve, and her family returned to their farm in Greeneville, Tenn., where she still lives with her parents.
When Leslie was 17, she met Jackson again.
The Jackson 5's Victory Tour came to Knoxville in August 1984 for a two-night concert that was extended a third night because of its popularity. Nearly 50,000 fans crowded into Neyland Stadium each night to see the concert.
Leslie Robinette received free tickets to the concerts, and on the third night, she went backstage to meet the whole Jackson gang. She brought Michael Jackson a hand-written birthday card.
"I asked him if he remembered me, and he said yes. We talked about my singing in chorus and how I was getting my back brace off soon," Robinette said.
Jackson then told his security detail that she was his guest, so she got to watch the third show from a raised VIP platform, seated right next to Jackson's mother, Katherine.
When Robinette left Seattle Children's Hospital three months after her first meeting with Jackson, doctors said she might live 10 years. Still struggling with her disease, she is less than 4 feet tall and weighs about 60 pounds, but she is now 42 and lives an active life.
Like Jackson, she has a strong passion for animals. She is involved in North American Riding for the Handicapped Association and currently is training to become an instructor.
"I've always felt that Michael and I were kind of kindred spirits, because we both grew up not being able to really go anywhere or do anything normal kids do," Robinette said.
Leslie was sitting in her rocking chair when Trine called to tell her about Jackson's death, and she was upset by the news.
Both sisters agree that people can say what they want about Michael Jackson, but he did a lot of good and they hope that is what he will be remembered for. And, of course, his music.
SI O POVESTE LA FEL DE INDUIOSATOARE SI DE IMPRESIONANTA:
Posted in comments on oprah.com October 18, 2010 by 'SwiftHearts': -- "I recently heard of this interview airing and decided to get more information about it on Oprah's website. This is when I stumbled across this discussion and decided to share my story. I was diagnosed with a rare form of child bone cancer in 2000 at the age of fifteen. I was to start chemo therapy in August of that year. Not many people know this but Michael opened up Neverland several times each year for anyone to come and enjoy the park. Everything was free. Rides, games, food. A friend of mine who was a regular at Neverland called me one night and told me the park was going to be open for two weeks at the beginning of August that year. I asked my parents if they would take me the week before I was scheduled to start chemo. My doctors all advised against saying they feared I was too weak but I eventually talked my parents in to it. We had to drive what seemed like several miles after we went through the front gates of Neverland to get to where the actual park was with the rides. As we were driving down the winding road something came over me that I can't explain to this day. It was almost a feeling of peace.
When my family and I stepped out of the car we weren't sure if we should check in with someone or really what to do. A man finally walked over to us and introduced himself and then explained to my parents how everything worked. We signed in with our names and other information and were given matching wrist bands and told we could ride anything we wanted, eat anything we wanted, play any of the games, etc. The man mentioned that on occasion Michael would come outside and say hello to everyone there. My parents thanked the man and within minutes I was at the top of the ferris wheel with my Dad. We rode it three times in a row and then it was on to the swings. We rode the rides for hours before getting in line to get some cotton candy and popcorn. As we sat down at a table with our snacks we noticed a crowd of children running all in one direction. I stood up on the seat of the table we were at but couldn't see anything. Several minutes later the crowd began moving towards us and it was then that I saw Michael. Standing under a huge umbrella and laughing as children were pulling at his arms, legs, and hugging him.
My Mom then grabbed my hand and we made our way over to him. We introduced ourselves and my Mom told him what a wonderful time we were having. She then told him about my cancer and that I would be starting chemo the next week. When she said that Michael put one hand on my head and said, "God Bless you." When he touched me I felt the same feeling of peace and comfort that I did as I had when we drove through the gates of Neverland. He stood there and talked to us for a couple more minutes and then he left. I continued riding rides with my family and the other children but I couldn't stop thinking about meeting him. As we were leaving that night the man who we spoke to when we arrived stopped my dad and handed him a note. The note was from Michael and it was inviting the three of us to have dinner with him. Without hesitation my Dad accepted the invitation and the man then directed us to through another gate which led to the main house. I was surprised once we were in front of the house. I expected it to be this huge mansion but it wasn't. It wasn't small but it certainly wasn't huge. Several people who worked for him greeted us when we pulled up outside. We had dinner with Michael and his children that night and to this day it was the best night of my life. After dinner he asked my parents if it would be ok if he prayed with us and of course they said yes. I had never and still to this day have never heard anyone pray the way he did. At fifteen years old it made me cry.
After he finished praying I opened my eyes and looked to each of my parents who were in tears as well. Michael was gracious enough to give us a tour of some of the things we weren't able to see earlier in the day. He showed us the arcade and the movie theater. The movie theater at Neverland was not your typical theater. Not only were there seats like a real theater, there were also beds for the children who were too sick to sit up. After showing us around we said goodbye to Michael and thanked him for everything. Imagine my Mother's surprise when she received a call from him several days later! We assumed he had obtained our number from the sign in sheet that we filled out upon arriving at Neverland. He asked her how I was doing and she told him I would begin chemo on Monday. He then gave her a number in which to reach him directly and asked her to please call him and let him know how I was doing around the middle of the week. She agreed. I went that Monday morning to the hospital prepared to begin chemo. When the doctor walked in the room he asked both of my parents to sit down. The three of us feared he was going to say the cancer had spread. They had run blood work and some more scans on me two days prior which is typical prior to beginning treatment.
When the doctor began to speak he looked at my parents and said, "I don't know how to tell you this. I don't know how to explain this but Danielle no longer has cancer. There are no signs of it on any of the scans we just took." My Mom, my Dad, and I sat there and just stared at him and finally my Mom burst in to tears. We left the hospital and the first thing my Mom did when we got home was call Michael. I was embarrassed because she was crying on the phone but then she handed the phone to me to speak to him and it was obvious he had been crying as well. Through the years Michael remained in touch with my family and would call us several times a year on the phone to say hello. He would sometimes send us gifts and cards. I have been cancer free for ten years now. I can't explain what happened when I went to Neverland. It's defies explanation. I want people to know that I am not the only one who visited Neverland very sick only to become well after my visit. There are hundreds, if not thousands of us. Our stories were never made public because Michael didn't want that. He was a wonderful man. I have never met anyone who cared so deeply about not just children but people in general."
I don't tell this story too often, in fact growing up I kinda learned to just keep it to myself.
Whenever people would find out I knew him, a gang of silly, dumb questions would follow, and I would always end up having to defend someone I loved so much.
When I was 5, my cousin Brian and I where OBSESSED with Micheal Jackson. We had dolls, sleeping bags, lunch boxes, and OF COURSE the gloves. I was pretty convinced I was goin to be him when I grew up, and nobody could tell me otherwise! Brian was older then me, and found out at school MJ actually lived in the Valley, we lived in. Anyone from LA pretty much knew the house. So we wrote him letters and enclosed a bunch of pics, you remember the ones from school you'd write on the bk, yeah well, lucky Micheal got about 25 of me!! Basically we told him we LOVED him & I told him I was a singer and dancer!!! We also asked him to come to our house & visit!! Our loca tia Carol (RIP) took us to his house and we rang the gaurd gate. His gaurd came out to us & took our letters. WE WERE SOOOOOOO HAPPY, we KNEW he would get em!! I honestly can say we were just happy enough to see his gate & meet his gaurd NEVER did we really expect what happened next.
About 4 days later, at 10:30 pm, my mom got the call from Carol, Michael Jackson was HERE, in our APT building, on her couch. I was 5 & anybody who knows a 5 year old also knows that it's damn near impossible to wake em up!! The pic you see of us is him holding me, cause I wouldn't wake up, he insisted my parents take da pic so I would truly know he came!! A few days later I was going into the hospital for sugery & he called me. I couldn't BELIEVE I was talking to Micheal Jackson & that he actually had my number!! Over the next few years he would invite Brian & I to his house, to watch him shot his videos & to his shows.
It's weird, when I was lil, I didn't really grasp FAME, especially his FAME. All I knew was he was my friend & I think thats why he liked me. My friendship with him changed my life. It was a HUGE influence, it made me believe having a singer career was in arms reach. My neighborhood didn't support BIG DREAMS but his freindship gave me confidence & assurance that ANYTHING & EVERYTHING is possible, if you work hard & aren't scared to try. His generousity & kindness inspires me daily. Here was the biggest super star in the world taking time out to come to a broken down apt building in Van Nuys CA to see his fans. He was ALWAYS about his fans & his community, and I really always knew that if I got my chance I would strive to be just like that!!
Even as a tiny lil girl I could see his saddness & his lonely. It was a part of him, I think his childhood, fame & money alienated him from most of the world. Thats why he loved US cause we didnt care about the BS!! We just had fun!! He was so goofy & silly, we would jump on his trampoline and raid his candy shop.
Micheal was like Edward Scissorhands & Willy Wonka to me, SOOOOO AMAZING in the HEART but so misunderstood by most! I love him always for touching my life & showing me a different world then the one I grew up in.
I hope those babies of his really grow up understanding that they did have the best daddy in the world. His heart & sprirt are what made him the GREATEST and so RARE.
One day I'll post more pics, and tell ya specific stories!! All the good things ya heard about him were ALL TRUE!! I promise!!
R.I.P M.J. YOU WILL BE MISSED AND ALWAYS LOVED!
Lala Romero
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