On June 25, 2009, Michael Jackson passed away at the age of 50.
Warning: This article contains discussion of drug addiction which some readers may find distressing.
It has been close to fifteen years since the passing of Michael Jackson, and his last words still resonate eerily.
The King of Pop exerted his dominance over the music charts for numerous decades, garnering attention not only for his unparalleled success in the industry but also for his contentious personal life.
Version 1: However, on June 25, 2009, he garnered attention for an entirely distinct motive – his passing at the age of 50.
When the emergency medical technicians arrived at the Los Angeles mansion where Jackson was staying, it seemed like a typical situation of a heart attack.
However, the events that unfolded in the following years showed that the situation was far from ordinary.
The singer had relied on a variety of painkillers for many years.
According to reports, he became dependent in the 1980s after his scalp got burned in a fire during the filming of a Pepsi commercial.
As a result, he ended up consuming a large quantity of pain medication to manage the pain.
Jackson continued to battle with his addictions throughout his life, even after attending rehab in 1993.
Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009. (Kevork Djansezian-Pool/Getty Images)
The Los Angeles County coroner determined that Jackson's cause of death was ‘acute propofol intoxication'.
Propofol is a common anesthetic administered in hospitals during surgical procedures when patients are sedated.
Jackson had been utilizing the medication to help him fall asleep due to his insomnia.
Given that he had a comeback tour on the way, he wanted to get his rest – and opted for the drug.
Dr. Conrad Murray supplied it to him, and later he was sentenced to four years in prison for involuntary manslaughter.
Dr Conrad Murray was the doctor who provided Michael Jackson with propofol. (CNN)
Murray disclosed Jackson's last words during the trial, which were multiple requests for ‘milk'.
This might make no sense out of context, but propofol has been called the ‘milk of amnesia'.
Murray also recorded some of Jackson's final pleas on his phone, in which the father-of-three can be heard saying: “Just make me sleep; it doesn't matter what happens.”
Murray's submission to his employer's request marked the final occasion when Jackson consumed propofol.
He soon noticed that the singer had stopped breathing and quickly raised the alarm.
Murray spent approximately two years in a Los Angeles County jail before being released in October 2013.
He lost his medical licenses in California, Nevada, and Texas when he was found guilty.
You can get help and support with drug-related issues by reaching out to American Addiction Centers at (313) 209-9137 anytime, or by visiting their website.
Featured Image Credit: Justin Sullivan/Steve Granitz/Getty Images
