Humanitarian
Michael Jackson is best known for his music, but he possibly touched just as many people through his love and compassion for those less fortunate. Here are just some of the things he did which never really made the headlines...
January, 1979: Michael Jackson donated a number of books, including ‘Peter Pan’ to the Chicago Public Library's Young Adult Section and promoted reading through a library program called ‘Boogie to the Book Beat’.
July, 1981: A benefit concert at the Omni Auditorium in Atlanta, Georgia, raised $100,000 for the ‘Atlanta Children's Foundation’ in response to a series of kidnappings and murders that had been plaguing the children of Atlanta for months.
January 10, 1984: During the filming of a Pepsi commercial, Michael suffered severe burns to his scalp when the pyrotechnics went awry. As a result of the on-set accident, he was admitted to the Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, California. Despite palm-sized second and third-degree burns to the back of his head, Michael visited several other burn patients and later donated a hyperbaric chamber (used to treat burn victims) to the hospital, in addition to making a substantial donation towards preparing and equipping the Michael Jackson Burn Center.
April 9, 1984: David Smithee, a 14-year-old cystic fibrosis sufferer, fulfilled a lifelong dream when he was invited to Michael's Encino family home through the auspices of the ‘Brass Ring Society’. The pair shared an enjoyable afternoon watching movies in the private screening room, eating lunch and playing video games. Before leaving, David was treated to a black sequined glove and Michael’s red leather jacket from his hit, ‘Beat It’. Seven weeks later, the young boy passed away, but not without having had his last wish granted.
April 14, 1984: Michael equipped a 19-bed-unit at the ‘Mount Sinai New York Medical Center’. This centre is part of the T.J. Martell-Foundation for leukemia and cancer research.
January, 1979: Michael Jackson donated a number of books, including ‘Peter Pan’ to the Chicago Public Library's Young Adult Section and promoted reading through a library program called ‘Boogie to the Book Beat’.
July, 1981: A benefit concert at the Omni Auditorium in Atlanta, Georgia, raised $100,000 for the ‘Atlanta Children's Foundation’ in response to a series of kidnappings and murders that had been plaguing the children of Atlanta for months.
January 10, 1984: During the filming of a Pepsi commercial, Michael suffered severe burns to his scalp when the pyrotechnics went awry. As a result of the on-set accident, he was admitted to the Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, California. Despite palm-sized second and third-degree burns to the back of his head, Michael visited several other burn patients and later donated a hyperbaric chamber (used to treat burn victims) to the hospital, in addition to making a substantial donation towards preparing and equipping the Michael Jackson Burn Center.
April 9, 1984: David Smithee, a 14-year-old cystic fibrosis sufferer, fulfilled a lifelong dream when he was invited to Michael's Encino family home through the auspices of the ‘Brass Ring Society’. The pair shared an enjoyable afternoon watching movies in the private screening room, eating lunch and playing video games. Before leaving, David was treated to a black sequined glove and Michael’s red leather jacket from his hit, ‘Beat It’. Seven weeks later, the young boy passed away, but not without having had his last wish granted.
April 14, 1984: Michael equipped a 19-bed-unit at the ‘Mount Sinai New York Medical Center’. This centre is part of the T.J. Martell-Foundation for leukemia and cancer research.