Michael Jackon's father is said to be in a hospital with a diagnosis of terminal cancer, TMZ reports. The 89-year-old has apparently been battling the sickness for some time but has come to the end of his fight and has an undisclosed amount of time left. His wife Katherine and children as well as grandchildren are by his side and visiting regularly.
The Metro UK reports that doctors weren't easy to share details of Joe's well being, even to son Jermaine. "We were not being told where he was and couldn’t get the full picture. Even from the doctor. My mother was worried sick," he told the publication. "He’s very, very frail, he doesn’t have long. The family needs to be by his bedside – that’s our only intention in his final days."
Joe Jackson was the leader of the Jackson 5 as he managed the group and then later managed the ever-growing careers of Michael and Janet Jackson. Over the years the Jackson siblings have shared stories of their father that painted him in a bad light. Michael was said to be so scared of his father that he felt sick when he saw him. Joe's response to the claim was: “Yeah, he regurgitates all the way to the bank. I taught them to be tough. We raised them in a tough neighbourhood, where other kids were in gangs and getting into drugs."