This month marks 15 years since the world lost Michael Jackson, yet his last words still resonate deeply with fans and loved ones. The King of Pop, famous for his chart-topping hits and influential music career, also led a life filled with personal struggles.
On June 25, 2009, the news of Jackson’s death at age 50 shocked the world. Paramedics arrived at his rented Los Angeles home, initially treating the incident as a typical cardiac arrest. However, the truth that emerged was far more complex.
Jackson had a long history of battling addiction to painkillers, a struggle that began in the 1980s. After suffering severe scalp burns during a Pepsi commercial shoot, he relied heavily on pain medication. Despite a rehab stint in 1993, his addiction persisted throughout his life. The Los Angeles County coroner later confirmed that Jackson died from ‘acute propofol intoxication.’
Propofol, a powerful anesthetic used in surgeries, became Jackson’s go-to solution for his chronic insomnia. As he prepared for an upcoming comeback tour, his dependency on the drug grew. Dr. Conrad Murray, the physician who administered propofol to Jackson, was later convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to four years in prison.
During the trial, it was revealed that Jackson’s final words were repeated requests for ‘milk,’ his nickname for propofol, often referred to as the ‘milk of amnesia.’ Dr. Murray also had recordings of Jackson’s last moments, where Jackson can be heard pleading for sleep, saying, “Just make me sleep; it doesn’t matter what happens.”
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Tragically, after giving in to Jackson’s plea, Murray found him unresponsive and called for emergency help. Dr. Murray served almost two years in a Los Angeles County jail and was released in October 2013. Following his conviction, his medical licenses in California, Nevada, and Texas were suspended.
Despite the controversies, Murray recently reentered the medical field, opening the DCM Medical Institute in El Socorro, San Juan, in May 2023. This new venture marks his return to medicine, aiming to provide specialized care despite the significant professional challenges he faced following Jackson’s death.
Murray’s journey back into the medical profession highlights his resilience, even as he continues to navigate the fallout from one of the most high-profile medical cases in recent history. His commitment to his practice reflects a complex and controversial legacy intertwined with that of the legendary Michael Jackson.
