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EXCLUSIVE: Michael Jackson's Last Day Alive – Radar's Forensic Minute-by-Minute Breakdown of Final 24 Hours of 'Tormented Pedophile' on 16th Anniversary of His Drugs Death

michael jackson final day minute by minute death breakdown
Source: MEGA

Michael Jackson's final day was packed with pain.

July 7 2025, Published 7:30 a.m. ET

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Michael Jackson was weeks away from a series of comeback concerts at the O2 Arena in London and was in rehearsals the night he tragically passed away at the age of 50 – shocking millions of fans around the world – on June 25, 2009.

RadarOnline.com can now reveal every excruciating detail of his last day alive.

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'Glowing'

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michael jackson final day minute by minute death breakdown
Source: MEGA

Dorian Holley recalled Jackson was 'glowing' and ready to perform.

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At the time, the Beat It singer wasn't living at his famous Neverland Ranch, but at a rented home in Los Angeles close to Staples Center, where he was rehearsing for his tour that would include 50 performance nights.

On the outside, people close to him, such as his vocal director Dorian Holley, said he was enjoying rehearsals and seemed happy.

"He was just glowing, and you could see it, that he was finally seeing it all come together," insisted Holley.

But, of course, the pressure was intense. And Jackson was a hard-working perfectionist who kept up a quick pace.

Holley, now 68, added: "He'd take the stage with this group of dancers, all in their 20s, but you couldn't take your eyes off him... he could still do everything.

"The only difference now was that he would sometimes talk about how it made him sore."

But the King of Pop was at the top of his game, said Holley, adding: "He was ready to show the world, and I so wish there could have been just one concert so the world would have seen."

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Final Prayers

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michael jackson final day minute by minute death breakdown
Source: MEGA

Chef Kai Chase said Jackson prayed over tuna and juice with his kids on his last morning.

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June 24, 2009, began like thousands of others the superstar had gone through.

He was deep into rehearsals for his comeback tour, and the pressure was on.

The singer had slept in because of the schedule of late rehearsals, and came down the stairs and sat with his three childrenParis Jackson, Prince Jackson and Blanket Jackson (now Bigi) – for what they never suspected would be their final meal together.

He asked his personal chef, Kai Chase, for something light. She prepared seared ahi tuna with an organic salad and a glass of carrot and orange juice.

"He smiled and put his hands together for a prayer," Chase said later. "He said, 'Thank you, God bless you.'"

Chase added he looked full of energy and his mood was bright.

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michael jackson final day minute by minute death breakdown
Source: MEGA

Ken Ehrlich watched Jacko rehearse 'Billie Jean' and said he was 'excited about the tour.'

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Here is how Jackson's final day really played out:

7pm: Jackson left his eight-bedroom mansion at 100 North Carolwood Drive in Holmby Hills, an exclusive L.A. neighborhood sandwiched between Bel Air and Beverly Hills.

He got into the back of a navy blue Escalade driven by bodyguard Faheem Muhammad. His personal assistant, Michael Amir Williams, sat in the front.

They traveled downtown to Staples Center, where Michael and his team of musicians and dancers were in final rehearsals before heading to London. Michael's logistics director, Alberto Alvarez, met the Escalade and drove Jackson in a golf cart to his dressing room.

Several people recalled Jackson being in good shape that night.

7–9pm: He worked with his team to finalize the visual staging and lighting cues.

9pm: The singer went through several classic numbers, including Billie Jean, Smooth Criminal and She's Out of My Life.

With an enormous monitor installed onstage, Jackson for the first time was shown video accompaniments to some of these songs, said Holley, who was standing beside Jackson during the rehearsal.

Ken Ehrlich, the longtime executive producer of the Grammy Awards telecast, went to Staples Center and watched the rehearsal.

"He was really in good shape, he was very excited about the tour, very excited about getting it going," Ehrlich said. "He certainly didn't exhibit any signs of being tired or not being with it."

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Pumped With Propofol

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michael jackson final day minute by minute death breakdown
Source: MEGA

Dr. Conrad Murray gave Jackson the propofol that killed the singer.

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Midnight: According to a report from the BBC, the rehearsal ended around midnight on June 25 with a performance of Earth Song.

The singer hugged his dancers, thanked the crew and wished them a good night, saying: "God bless you."

He returned to his mansion, stopping briefly at its metal gate to greet a small group of fans who had gathered and signed autographs.

Jackson's personal physician Dr. Conrad Murray's car was parked outside the home, according to his bodyguard.

The singer's security detail then escorted him into the house and to the foot of the stairs, which he climbed before entering his bedroom.

Murray, according to a police affidavit, was concerned Jackson was addicted to propofol, a powerful anesthetic normally only used in medical settings. He told officers that he was trying to wean him off the drug.

3am: Murray gave Jackson a sedative, then another several hours later, when he couldn't get to sleep.

5am: The Thriller singer was still awake and frustrated.

"Need to sleep, must be ready for concerts… the medicine doesn't work," Murray said he complained.

7am: Jackson was still awake and Murray tried something else, but it had no effect.

10am: By now, Jackson was begging for propofol, which he called his "milk" because it was a white liquid drug.

"I want milk, I know it works," he said.

10.30am: Murray administered a diluted form of propofol. Jackson finally fell asleep.

Murray stepped away to use the bathroom.

When he returned, Jackson was not breathing.

The doctor began to do CPR.

Prince and Paris came into the room and began crying when they saw Murray trying to save their father.

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Horrific Hospital Dash

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michael jackson final day minute by minute death breakdown
Source: MEGA

Paramedics found Jackson unresponsive at 12.27pm and rushed him to UCLA.

Finally, the medic called 911 and asked for an ambulance.

12.27pm: Paramedics arrived.

Jackson was not breathing and he had no pulse. He was in full cardiac arrest and they still tried to resuscitate him, but could not.

1.07pm: He was taken to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.

2.25pm: Jackson was pronounced dead.

Two years later, in 2011, Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and served less than two years of a four-year sentence.

If Jackson was still alive he would have turned 66 this year.

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