REMEMBERING TWO GREAT AMERICAN ICONS: MICHAEL & FARRAH



Michael Jackson was so influential that many of today’s young stars, from Chris Brown to Justin Timberlake, attribute their success to him. Usher admits, “I would not be the artist, performer and philanthropist I am today without the influence of Michael.” As the overwhelming news of his death spread like wildfire on June 25, Michael’s millions of devoted fans across the world were devastated.



While Michael Jackson’s death is certainly unexpected, many of his loved ones feared for his life. According to a close friend, Michael’s health had been poor for years, but “lately he seemed to be taking a turn for the worse. Some of us suspected he was abusing powerful painkillers.” During a dinner party at a friend’s Bel Air home in mid-June, Michael felt so ill, he excused himself before dessert was served and asked to lay down. “Michael was gaunt and had no appetite,” a close friend says. The friend also confirms that the singer had been sweating uncontrollably for the past few weeks. In early June, Michael met with a business associate in a back booth at the Polo Lounge in the Beverly Hills Hotel. “Michael looked pale and super-thin, and was drenched,” Cathy Keith, who was seated at an adjacent table, tells In Touch exclusively. “It was odd because the room was air-conditioned and quite cool.”



Also on June 25, in a flower-filled room at St. John’s Health Center in LA, Farrah Fawcett was surrounded by loved ones — including her longtime companion, Ryan O’Neal, and her best friend, Alana Stewart — as she finally, peacefully ended her three-year battle with cancer. “Everyone in the room was emotional and distraught” after she died, says one of Farrah’s friends. Farrah fought to stay alive for as long as she possibly could. Bill Rossi, who first became close to Farrah during her Charlie’s Angels days, reveals that in the late spring, the 62-year-old actress phoned all of her friends and said her final goodbyes. “Farrah knew the odds were against her, but she remained positive and upbeat,” Bill tells In Touch. “To know her for the past 30 years was a privilege.” And Farrah’s longtime friend Sylvia Dorsey agrees. “All I want to say is that we should all have her strength and courage,” Sylvia, a Houston-based interior designer, tells In Touch.