Michael Jackson's brother Jermaine gave a heartfelt interview to Matt Lauer this morning from Neverland Ranch for the
Today show.
During the touching interview Jermaine said that he wished he could have passed in Michael's place and spoke about his families reaction to the death of the worlds biggest musical icon. Check out excerpts from the interview below and the video attached...
Jermaine on his brother Michael's death:
"He went too soon...I wish that it was me. I've always felt that I was his backbone, someone to be there for him. I was there and he was sort of like Moses. The things he couldn't say, I would say them."
Jermaine on his mother's reaction to Michael's death:
"She was crying, saying he was dead. To hear my mother say, 'Michael is dead,' to feel and hear the tone in her voice to say her child is dead, is nothing that anyone can ever imagine."
Jermaine on how he said goodbye to Michael:
"I tried to console her," he went on, "but I wanted to see Michael and I wanted to see my brother. To see him there lifeless and breathless was very emotional for me. But I held myself together because I knew he's very much alive in his spirit, and that was just a shell. But I kissed him on his forehead, and I hugged him, and I touched him and I said Michael, 'I'll never leave you. You'll never leave me.'"
Jermaine on Michael's kids saying goodbye to him:
"I know it's tough, but I think it was the best thing to do. At first I was against it, but what do you say if you don't show them?" Jermaine said of the decision to have them see their dead father.
Jermaine on whether he thought Michael was strong enough for a tour:
"I do believe and I do know that Mike is very strong, not just mentally but physically," he said. "He's a dancer, he never stopped dancing, he was already ready physically. He passed the physical, he was strong; he was ready."
Jermaine on Michael's alleged prescription drug use:
"Because Michael has always been a person who was against anything like that. I'm not saying it's right, because it's not right," Jermaine continued . "But in this business, the pressure, and things that you go through -- you never know what people might turn to."
Jermaine on his mother Katherine becoming the children's guardian:
"She's up to it," he said. "She's always with all the children, she loves laughter and the crying and all the excitement. Yes, she is."
