2024 ended in a very sad way for the Jackson family.
One of the beloved Jackson 5 members passed away suddenly.
How Did Tito Jackson Die?
According to PEOPLE, Tito Jackson was in New Mexico when he suffered a medical emergency which was later reported to be a fatal heart attack.
He was the third Jackson family member to lose their life.
His brother Michael passed away in 2009, as did their father Joe in 2018.
The Jacksons might not always get along with each other, but the loss of a loved one can often bring families together.
Not long after Tito passed away, people close to him went on social media to publicly share their condolences.
Tito Jackson’s Sons’ Heartbreaking Statement About Father’s Death
His three sons were the first to officially break the news of his passing.
A report by Hello! magazine revealed that TJ, Taryll, and Taj released a joint statement to let the world know of their father’s passing and to express the grief they were feeling.
They began by saying that it was with heavy hearts that they were announcing that their beloved father was no longer alive.
The brothers shared that they were shocked, saddened, and heartbroken.
Their father was an incredible man who cared about everyone and their well-being.
They finished by writing that he would be missed tremendously, and it would forever be ‘Tito Time’ for them.
Janet Jackson Speaks Out About Brother’s Death
While many of Tito’s family members were quick to leave messages for him on social media, there was one relative who stayed quiet for quite a while.
His younger sister, Janet Jackson, did not say anything to the public about him.
Hello! claimed that she took some time to just be with her family before sharing how she felt with the rest of the world.
She also canceled the performance that she had planned for the DStv Delicious festival in South Africa where she was set to headline.
One month after losing her brother, Janet shared a heartfelt post to her Instagram to honor his memory.
She posted a black and white photo of her and Tito from when they were in their youth.
Janet captioned the post by writing: “May you rest in eternal peace… I miss you so much.”
It was speculated that she chose to wait until that specific date before she posted anything about him because it was on what would’ve been his 71st birthday.
Michael Jackson’s Kids Pay Tribute To Tito
Tito’s niece and nephew also left tributes to him online.
The Daily Mail reported that Paris Jackson uploaded a vintage photo of her uncle with her father, Michael Jackson, and added that she hoped that he would ‘rest in transition.’
Meanwhile, her brother Prince left a message on his social media that simply read: “Love you forever Poppa T.”
It’s been reported that he had an especially close relationship with his uncle.
One of Tito’s sons commented on his post saying that he always spoke so highly about Prince and was so proud of the man he had become.
He then thanked Prince for being such a great nephew to his dad.
Tito Jackson’s Funeral
Tito’s funeral took place in November 2024, and it was a star-studded occasion.
Paris and her 2 siblings were in attendance, along with other members of the Jackson clan, like La Toya and her brother Marlon.
Another celebrity guest was fashion designer and family friend Kimora Lee Simmons.
Tito’s ex-wife, Delores Jackson, was also photographed outside Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, California, where the musician was laid to rest.
Tito’s family recently made headline news for making a request that they all felt strongly about.
Estate Of Tito Jackson’s Lawsuit
An article by KOB4 claimed that the estate of Tito Jackson filed a lawsuit with the hopes of preventing his autopsy records and photos from being released to the public.
The Office of the Medical Investigator has the authority to share all kinds of sensitive information, like pictures, the autopsy findings, and other related materials about his passing.
According to the lawsuit, there wasn’t a legitimate reason for those things to be made available for public viewing.
The estate’s lawyers made the claim that if that personal content were to get out, it would be a major invasion of the family’s privacy, and it could lead to some serious damage.
Tragic Final Moments Of Tito Jackson
But what does the public already know about Tito’s sudden passing?
It was PEOPLE that wrote about how police officers heard that there was an individual in need of medical attention and quickly requested an ambulance.
That person later turned out to be Tito, who was visiting a mall in Gallup, New Mexico when he became unwell in just a matter of moments.
He was quickly taken to the hospital but sadly, it was too late for him.
Tito’s friend and business associate, Terry Maltbia, was with him at the time.
He later told the Daily Mail about the tragic final moments of the Jackson star.
The two men were on a road trip with their friend Ronald Balfour.
The plan was to drive some of the singer’s vintage cars from L.A. to his new home in Oklahoma, where’d reportedly bought a ranch in order to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Tito Jackson’s Friend Confessed ‘It Got Really Bad’
They’d stopped at the American Heritage Plaza shopping center to grab a bite to eat when all of a sudden, Tito noticed that something was wrong.
Terry shared that they’d finished eating their turkey and chicken meals, and were laughing and talking while they put the top on the convertible because it’d started to rain.
That was when Tito told the others that he had to stop because his chest was hurting.
He reportedly began to sweat a lot.
Luckily, there were officers nearby.
Terry called them over, and Tito was rushed to the hospital.
Once there, the musician asked his friends to find his insurance card in his bag as he was taken into the emergency room.
Terry said: “I figured everything was going to be OK since we got him to the hospital and he was still talking.”
But eventually, a doctor came and told the two friends in the waiting room that Tito wasn’t doing so well.
They let Terry go see him, and he confessed that ‘it got really bad.’
He made a call to Marlon to let him know what was going on, but it was at that moment that Tito passed away.
Terry and Ronald made the touching decision to continue on their journey and deliver the cars to their friend’s ranch in Oklahoma.
Tito Jackson Speaks Out About Tour With Brothers
It was only a few weeks before his passing that Tito went on a trip to Germany.
PEOPLE said that while he was there, he visited a beautiful memorial dedicated to his brother Michael in Munich.
He later took to Facebook to write: “We’re deeply grateful for this special place that honors not only his memory but also our shared legacy. Thank you for keeping his spirit alive.“
Though he was in his 70s when he lost his life, he was still an active traveler and showed no signs of slowing down.
While speaking to Fox 5 San Diego, he talked about the tour that he was on with his brothers, and shared that he still loved traveling and performing.
A Splash Mags article revealed that Tito was meant to join the other Jackson 5 members on stage for two more shows left in the tour.
Everyone was wondering if the siblings would still go ahead without him.
Sure enough, ‘the show must go on’ mantra was applied, and the Jackson 5 band went ahead with the final concerts, finishing in Cincinnati.
Tito Jackson’s Brothers Speak Out
A YouTube video of one of their shows in Atlantic City revealed that Marlon took a moment on stage to talk about the loss they’d experienced.
He shared that his brother had called him just an hour before he ended up in hospital, and that they were on the phone cracking jokes with each other.
Marlon told the crowd that September 10th, 2001, was the Jackson 5’s last performance with Michael included.
And coincidentally, on September 10th, 2024, they had their last show with Tito.
Meaning Of Tito Jackson’s Last Single
Tito’s last single, Love One Another, came out in 2021.
The song was recorded during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the description of the video for it on YouTube, he wrote that his aim was to convey a message of love, unity, and peace, offering a balm for troubled times.
He added that it was a call for people to join hands, embrace love, and exhibit kindness to one another, drawing inspiration from the enduring legacy of the Jackson Family.
Tito finished by saying that through his music, he was dedicated to spreading a positive message of harmony and togetherness.
