Paris Jackson has spoken out about how she honors her late father, Michael Jackson. On June 25, 2009, the King of Pop died at the age of 50 from acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication. At the time, his daughter was 11 years old.
Jackson appeared on an episode of Willow Smith’s Red Table Talk podcast, where she was asked by one of the show’s viewers how she keeps her father’s memories alive. The 23-year-old model explained that she accomplishes this primarily by applying the lessons she learned from the “Thriller” hitmaker.
“I try to use the positive things I learned from him, the good morals I learned, every day,” she said. “Humility, compassion, tolerance, simply being kind to other people, even if it’s someone who has wronged you, to pray for them and be kind to them, and to be kind to yourself.”
“That’s the standard way I keep that memory alive and do my best to make him proud.”
Paris Jackson has previously discussed how her father instilled in her a strong moral foundation. In an interview, Jackson stated that the singer-songwriter was adamant that his children recognize the value of what they have.
Growing up during her father’s peak of fame meant she was constantly in the spotlight. Jackson told Smith that growing up under the constant scrutiny of the paparazzi caused her to experience auditory hallucinations and severe paranoia.
She went on to say that she is now in therapy and that her symptoms are “standard PTSD.”
As a result of her lack of privacy as a child, Jackson says she requires visitors to sign non-disclosure agreements. Jackson was born to Debbie Rowe, who was married to “Billie Jean” singer Michael Jackson for three years. Rowe is also the mother of her 24-year-old brother, Prince Michael. Paris Jackson described how, at the age of 15, she began to get to know her mother, four years after her father died.
She described her relationship with Rowe as “chill,” noting that they share a number of characteristics, including her physical appearance. Jackson and her older brother, Prince Michael, are also siblings with Prince Michael II, who is now 19 years old.
While both brothers are less well-known than their model sister, Prince Michael recently shared a rare glimpse into his childhood.
In a March interview, Prince shared one lesson he learned from his father: never stop learning. Prince went on to say that he was mostly unaware of his father’s celebrity until he witnessed fans fainting at a concert. Michael Jackson’s legacy has been widely scrutinized in the years since his death.
Wade Robson and James Safechuck claimed they were sexually abused by the pop superstar in the 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland. Robson claimed Jackson abused him since he was seven years old and tried to rape him when he was fourteen. Safechuck claimed Jackson sexually abused him from the age of 10 until he was about 14 years old.
In response to the allegations, the singer’s nephew Taj Jackson previously stated that his uncle would be “crying” over them, adding that people had previously betrayed him. He went on to say that he believed the case was all about money because Robson and Safechuck had filed a million-dollar lawsuit against the Jackson estate.
Jackson was accused of child molestation in the years leading up to his death. Following an 18-month trial, Jackson was acquitted of all charges in June 2005.
