Michael Jackson’s Children Including Blanket, 22, Make Rare Appearances to Mourn Uncle Tito at Memorial — With Family Believing Singer, 70, 'Could Have Been Saved'
Nov. 5 2024, Published 5:45 p.m. ET
The Jackson family continues to grieve the loss of Tito Jackson following his unexpected passing.
RadarOnline.com can reveal Michael Jackson's children were among those who paid their respects during the emotional day.
Tito was honored during the funeral which took place on Monday in California and was attended by numerous notable names.
The King of Pop's children, daughter Paris and son Bigi, also known as Blanket, were among those who were at the funeral in order to remember Tito.
Paris, 26, wore an all-black outfit including dark pantyhose and boots, while her younger brother went the traditional route in a black suit jacket and tie.
Other family members, including sister La Toya and brother Marlon were also at the funeral, as were Jermaine's sons, Jafaar and Jermagesty.
Tito was laid to rest at Forest Lawn Memorial Park cemetery in Glendale.
Following his death, Paris took to Instagram to remember her uncle, as she wrote: "Rest in transition Uncle Tito", while Michael's eldest son, Prince, shared a batch of family pics in another post.
"Love you forever Poppa T," the 27-year-old wrote alongside the photos.
The performer, who was part of the famous group Jackson 5, died on Sept. 15, 2024, following a reported heart attack.
The Gallup Police Department shared a statement at the time: “This information is derived from a preliminary investigation that is still ongoing, Investigators are actively interviewing witnesses and examining both physical and electronic records.
"The department’s understanding of the facts and circumstances may evolve as additional evidence is gathered and analyzed.”
Terry Harvey Maltbia, Tito's business associate and best friend, previously opened up about the singer's final moments.
He recalled: "We just got done eating turkey and chicken, laughing and talking. We were putting the top on the convertible because it started raining. That's when Tito came back on the passenger side window and said, 'My chest is hurting. Can you help Ronnie to finish the [car] top?'
"He said, 'I ain't feeling good in my chest.' He wiped his face off, took off his shirt and it was like someone had threw a bucket of water on him."
Maltbia flagged down officers who were nearby and they called for an ambulance: "He had about seven doctors working on him and it got really bad. I called his brother, Marlon, and that's when he died."
However, despite this final moments, Tito's family believes he could have been saved.
A family insider said: "I firmly believe that if Tito had gotten help sooner, he'd still be here with us today."
Dr. Stuart Fischer, author of The Little Book of Bog Medical Emergencies, also shed some light on Tito's apparent heart attack: "It's more likely that Tito had high blood pressure, and high blood pressure forces the heart to work harder and pump blood to the rest of the body.
"It is often the cause of a heart attack or heart failure. It can cause fatal cardiac arrhythmia."
He added: "Probably the biggest issue was that a heart attack is one of the emergencies where time is of absolute essence.
"They were waiting to get help in a mall parking lot, and a significant delay like that can be the difference between life and death"
Tito was 70 years old at the time of his death.
Have a tip? Send it to us! Email RadarOnline.com at tips@radaronline.com.