11,000 roses sent to MJ’s grave on death anniversary

Fans from around the world flooded MJ’s place of burial with flowers to commemorate the pop icon’s third death anniversary.

Washington: Fans from around the world flooded Michael Jackson’s place of burial with flowers on Monday to commemorate the pop icon’s third death anniversary.

Nearly 11,000 long-stem roses decorated the ‘Great Mausoleum’ at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale where Jackson is interred. Hundreds more bouquets, teddy bears, posters and flower stands, some sent from as far away as Japan, Italy and Russia, crowded the makeshift memorial in what has become an annual event for devoted fans, LA Times reported. The crowd gathered outside the Great Mausoleum, which is closed to the general public, got a thrill at midday when Jackson’s brother Rand, came out to sign autographs and take pictures. Among the throng of fans was Carlo Riley, a well-known Jackson impersonator, who insisted that he plans to make the annual trip from Denver for many years to come. “Even though he’s gone, this is still my passion,” Riley said. Jackson died on June 25, 2009, after suffering cardiac arrest at a mansion he was renting in Holmby Hills. His doctor, cardiologist Conrad Murray, was later found guilty of involuntary manslaughter as he administered a fatal dose of the powerful surgical anaesthetic called ‘propofol’. Los Angeles resident Robyn Starkand, who helped organize the massive rose delivery through her online, PayPal-fueled campaign “One Rose for Michael Jackson” claimed that the roses allowed many more fans who couldn’t make the trek feel like they were part of the memorial. ANI