Remember the Time: Protecting Michael Jackson in His Final Days

I've had a deep admiration for Michael Jackson since the early '90s. No other artist has ever given the same excitement or joy that he did, and no one has inspired me the way he has. That's why a book written honestly about his life, without the motive of making money, means so much to me. As the authors themselves has said, this is not one of those books rushed out right after Michael Jackson's death, chasing six-figure paydays and feeding prejudices just to stir up sensation. It's the one authors funded themselves, persevering through countless obstacles to publish. And it was worth it, because it's one of the greatest books I've ever read. Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down and finished it in just a few days. The book is beautifully written, powerful and engaging. It's a book truly worthy of a legend like Michael Jackson. With most celebrities, the more you learn about them, the more the mystery fades and they become boring. But with Michael Jackson, it's the opposite. Every honest account or detail I read only deepens my admiration and longing for him. This book did exaclty that. Although it focuses on his final years, it also sheds light on the people around him and the way he managed his affairs, helping you to understand the false accusations he faced. Reading how he struggled with everyday challenges that ordinary people deal with- things he had never encountered before- was really interesting and moving. Beyond that, the book teaches a lot about life and human nature. His last years were incredibly difficult, but meeting with Bill Whitfield and Javon Beard was a blessing. They became true friends he could trust, easing his suffering and standing by him despite everything. For that, I'm deeply grateful to them.

I am deeply grateful to Bill Whitfield and Javon Beard for documenting their two-and-a-half years with Michael Jackson in such a genuine, grounded, and unembellished way. As I read, it feels as though I am experiencing everything they describe firsthand. I am completely drawn into their world, almost as if I have become part of it, able to fully feel their emotions and inner states. At the same time, they present Michael Jackson’s struggles with striking honesty. Every detail is deeply moving, and my emotions rise and fall with the story—at times I find myself smiling, but more often I feel tension, and even heartbreak. What stands out most is the immense pressure Michael Jackson endured. It becomes clear that he lived in a reality far more distorted and unimaginable than I had ever conceived, shaped by the people and circumstances surrounding him. Learning this fills me with a deep sense of sorrow for him. As Bill himself reflects, there was a reason for his departure. A world filled with exploitation, insincerity, and hypocrisy simply did not deserve him; perhaps only in leaving could he finally find true peace. Once again, I sincerely thank Bill Whitfield and Javon Beard for revealing the most authentic side of Michael Jackson and helping restore justice to his story.

I originally decided to read this book after watching the inspired movie adaptation, "Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland." I was a little hesitant, even though I really liked the movie. I just wasn't sure if it was just another novel trying to profit off of his death. However, l'm so glad that I took a chance with this one! I was hooked from the very first page. This book was so amazing, so admirable, so heartfelt, and so honest. This book made me smile. This book made me laugh. This book made me cry. This book even made me angry at certain points. But more than anything, this book gave me HOPE. It gave me hope that there are still good people on this Earth with the purest intentions. Bill Whitfield and Javon Beard are the narrator's of this story. While reading this book, you really grew to respect these gentlemen immensely. They had so much integrity, and it showed throughout all their actions. They were so loyal to Michael Jackson. I know it had to be frustrating at times, but I truly believe they wanted the best for him and his family. They wanted him as well as his children to have normalcy in their lives. They never took advantage or abused their power. They never tried to influence his decisions for personal gain. They allowed him his privacy. They went above and beyond the standard protocol for bodyguards. Michael Jackson was a complicated human being. He was far from perfect, but he had an angelic heart. His kindness and compassion are hard to find, but he found those same qualities in his two bodyguards. Throughout this book, you get a better grasp and understanding of the man behind the music. You read about all his insecurities, his worries, his hopes and dreams. You get to know more about his character. He was so compassionate, so loving, so nurturing, and so in touch with humanity. You also get a glimpse into his life as a devoted father. You learn that everything wasn't sunshine and rainbows, at least when it came to his financial matters. He surrounded himself with a lot of calculated people. They were greedy, self-serving, and downright "evil". This book really opens your eyes to just how cutthroat, how backstabbing, and how fake people can really be. I strongly recommend this book to all of his fans as well as the people who are misinformed. I feel like Michael Jackson was misunderstood, and I also feel that this book will clear up any confusion or doubt that others may have about his character. I know there are many books on Michael Jackson that are looking to cash in on his death by writing fictional garbage, but this is NOT one of them. I wouldn't read it if it was. Do yourself a favor and please read this book. Reserve any judgement until you've finished the entire book. It may potentially change your perspective on everything you thought you knew about Michael Jackson. His heart was so pure and his love for others shined bright even during the most darkest moments of his life. He always had such a kind smile with the saddest eyes. I just hope he found his "Neverland" up in heaven. #RIPMichaelJackson "I'm just a soul whose intentions are good. Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood." -Nina Symone

After much debate, reading reviews, and wondering if I would be doing right by MJ reading this book, I had read enough positive to give it a chance. I am glad I read it. But this was no uplifting, happy-joy-joy read. This was a realistic portrayal of the sadness, disappointment, abandonment, and loneliness Michael went through in his last few years on this earth. And this is only what the body guards saw! You can see from the writing that the body guards loved him, respected him, and have the best intentions writing this book, wanting to show the world what they went through, show how much of things were out of MJs control, and how cruelly the world treated MJ. As bad as these bodyguards had it at times, they stuck by him. But they only had it bad because of the vultures - his own managers and lawyers and family members - that were fooling him, sucking him dry, emotionally and financially. The industry and the lies, the tabloid press, sucked the life out of the biggest talent our world has seen. Anyone who believes the lies about MJ and spreads them has a hand in this man's death. This man died because no one was around to care for him in his final days, days that no one knew were to be final. People say MJ pushed people away. Well, only after he had been hurt by them time and time and TIME again. He gave people one too many chances to fix things, he trusted people at their word, and he didn't check up on what they were doing like he should have, at least not at the end. He was too tired emotionally I think to deal with it, after the trial. Having been taken care of all his life by his dad or other managers, he was just used to people taking care of things for him, also. His father did him a grave disservice by raising Michael to be this great star but not know how to handle his own affairs. Michael I think must have been more hands-on before the trial, (I know he was in the 80s and 90s), but after...he just didn't care anymore, because no one came out to support him after his acquittal. Friends never came back. (the memorial? a sham! read the book) I could go on - the point is, this is a really hard read for a fan. I found myself just bereft at the end, empty and sad, trying to understand how someone the world loved could have been treated so cruelly by the press, his management, and his own damn family. His kids were his only saving grace, and the fact that these kids are stuck with this horrid family as their only family now worries me to no end for them (as a parent myself). I hope they come out of their teen years ok and take back over MJ's estate with a vengeance. So if you are a fan, I think you will find that this is a hard read, but I do recommend it. Not for the faint-hearted. Don't be surprised if you're not bawling or wanting to bawl at the end, or throw something in anger out of how he was treated. It's still sticking with me and and I finished it in less than a day doing a kindle download. I know some have criticized the body guards and author who put this book together for writing this kind of tell-all (and it doesn't tell all - the body guards don't know everything, they only know what they saw, and how they felt about what they saw and experienced with MJ, and that's what they talk about) book, but I think it pays proper homage to the King of Pop and to Michael Jackson as a human being, a man, and a father. Their love for him is quite evident. My assessment - Michael, knowing these things about you makes me love you more, and you were too damn nice for this crummy world. But the strong are supposed to protect the weak, and you, yes you, were weak not cuz of how nice you were, but because of how bad the world beat you down during that last trial in '05. And the people who should have protected you, doctors, managers, and your family, didn't. May karma get their sorry butts. ** Tom Sneddon and his DA crew and MJ's false accusers and all those press who didn't report the REAL court proceedings, only seedy stuff that would bring ratings, and took interviews of the lying accusers and broadcast them all over the world but never let Michael have his say... you all deserve to rot in hell or have the kind of bad things happen to them that you only hear about in horror movies. I'd love to live to see the day they were all exposed for the frauds they were.

Reading ’Remember the Time – Protecting Michael Jackson in his final days’ was a real emotional rollercoaster; swinging from anger, to sadness, to smiling and laughing’ at a wealth of stories, some funny, some sad, some annoying. I loved the part when Bill meets him, and thinks ‘Oh s…t’ as Michael walks towards him and shakes his hand. His heart was pounding in his chest and the hairs on the back of his neck were standing up! He finds himself saying he is a huge fan! It was surreal! One thing that jumps off every page is the love, respect and strong protective mission urge you can feel, the perplexed loyal hardworking bodyguards trying to understand this man, who was two men on two levels, the enigmatic, exciting, fascinating, mysterious King of Pop, and Michael Jackson, the normal loving father lounging around in pyjamas watching movies with his children, or making breakfast, doing their own laundry or setting off fireworks. He was just a regular guy desperately trying to be a regular guy, who could go into a bar and order a beer, but so many people in his life always had other ideas, organising and manipulating, making, sometimes unwelcome, decisions for him, taking care of his affairs for so long, he had become reliant on them. They figured the part of his ‘lost’ childhood that he missed out on was learning to be an adult, to grow up to deal with the world. His mind was fully aware of what was going on at some levels, ‘very switched on, clued up’, but didn’t function on a comfortable adult personal relationship basic everyday face to face level. It was hard to blame him as he had been left exposed, paranoid, distrusting and vulnerable by the media lies and accusations; it was not his fault. They couldn’t be mad at him for long, say ten minutes, because later he would say something in his sweet gentle way, with his soft-spoken good spirit and energy. The best part that came from all the craziness and hysteria, they said, was when he entered a room the energy changed due to this bright light/inner being inside him, the top people all deferential to him, and agreed he was the most sensitive, gentle and kind, loving and giving person, who saved lives. They got goose bumps when he danced or posed for photographs or heard him working out a tune and singing through the wall of a nearby studio. But they were puzzled why he didn’t grasp that if they weren’t paid for months that would ‘mess them up so they couldn’t take care of their families’. However he would grab $1000 from a stack of hundred dollar bills on a table to give them to buy a i’phone for Bill’s daughter, or Christmas decorations! Michael Jackson was neither saint nor sinner, a complicated human being, a deeply religious man, who struggled with personal pain few can really understand, in extraordinary circumstances. Bill and Javon talked about the ‘ugliness of his world’. ‘Once you were around him on a personal level, you realised that all those rumours and allegations just weren’t possible. Your perspective changed completely once you knew him up close’, they said. They talked of their shock and grief when he died, their anger at his memorial service with all those celebrities suddenly there on show, when they were not there for him when he needed them. One happy point is when ‘Friend’ made it all the way from Europe in a day to say goodbye at his memorial service. Javon gave her his ticket. Bill concluded that Michael really wanted to be free, not to do those ‘This Is It’ concerts. ‘Now he is free, and will not have to have necessary protection for the rest of his life.’ .

This is a great book and Amazon was really quick to deliver

Michael's life post 2005 trial is not well documented and so I was eagerly anticipating hearing a first-hand account from these bodyguards. And they did not disappoint. For those looking for a continuation of tabloid media's feeding frenzy, go elsewhere. Although these men readily admit to being Michael Jackson fans, there was nothing fawning or condescending in interactions with him and his three children. They were paid to protect the family during a period of great stress in Michael's life, as he was consistently concerned for his life and the lives of his children due to many credible threats against him by those who, despite his acquittal, considered him a criminal. The family moved several times in two years, California to Bahrain, then to Ireland, then to Las Vegas, then to Virginia, then back to Las Vegas, then back to California. Mr. Whitfield and Mr. Beard were by their side through it all. They stayed through long periods of nonpayment for services (caused by mismanagement of Michael's finances by so-called "managers", continued unrelenting legal problems, attorneys fees and the usual hangers on). The book is replete with great stories of their interactions with Michael's three children. Both men being fathers themselves very well understood the unique situation Michael was faced with, i.e., not being able to participate in the everyday lives of his kids, such as zoo outings, movies, shopping, just playing in parks, which were handled either by nannies accompanying them or one of the bodyguards. Michael yearned for "normalcy" with his kids, a goal repeatedly denied to him by media and some overzealous fans. But Michael loved his fans; this is pointed out over and over by the bodyguards. For those who say this book is just another attempt to capitalize on Michael's name and fame, I would disagree. Michael Jackson trusted no one, not even his extended family, in the last several years of his life. The fact that Whitfield and Beard were an integral part of those years demonstrates that he trusted them because if he did not, as he did with many others, he would have arranged for their departure from his employment. And so I trust their version of events during these years. During the runup to This Is It, for reasons unknown to Whitfield and Beard, other bodyguards were brought in. Whitfield and Beard were to join Michael Jackson and his family in London when the Tour kicked off. About a week before June 25, 2009, Michael called and asked them to come to Los Angeles. However, because his request did not seem urgent, and with their own family commitments, they could not make the adjustment in scheduling and thus were not present when he passed. Their shock and sadness was overwhelming. There were times when they questioned why they stayed on. Michael was complex, impulsive, and unable to confront persons who wronged him. His friends were few and his family, except for his mother, never showed up unless it was to make demands on him. These men were his gatekeepers. The bodyguards recount only one or two times when Michael's actions appeared somewhat off, causing them to question his "condition". Dr. Murray showed up only several times over those years to treat the kids, was gone in an hour and never spent a night. This is a loving and respectful accounting which I recommend to all who, like myself, wanted to know more about Michael Jackson, the man and father, otherwise known as the King of Pop. You will not be disappointed.

This book made me weep for Michael Jackson and his family. All of them. His children most of all. Everyone took their piece of him until there was nothing left. Thank you for sharing your stories. Michael Jackson deserves to have his true story told. Your book is the only one I read except Moonwalk. I despise reading other people’s accounts of a famous person who usually have a hidden agenda and are mostly untrue. I felt this book was an honest portrayal of Michael Jackson’s life near the end.

I couldn't put this book down from start to finish.

This book is to be cherished. This is the kind of book once you read it, you will go back and read it again and again.By sharing their experience and the way they perceived every moment they spent in protecting and serving Michael gives you the feeling of being part of those days of Michael's life. You can feel the love,loyalty, respect and honesty from the bodyguards along with their dedication to protect their "boss". I enjoyed the style that makes you laugh at some parts but cry at others. Reading this book and seeing Michael through the eyes of these guards just made me love Michael even more if that is possible. It gave a little window into his private life, how he was with his children, his relationship with his fans and the people around him, how much he cared and wanted to help people and also how isolated and trapped he was. I am grateful for this book, it is an authentic, honest and straight forward description of what these body guards lived and understood of that time they spent around him. I can recommend it for all who keep Michael in their heart. I read all the books that was worthy of reading about him and this book made the list.

A wonderful book about a sensitive man and incredible artist, who was often misunderstood and broken by lies, press and false allegations. These two guys draw a very different picture of MJ than the published one. Highly recommended!

Ce livre est une merveille, il remet les pendules à l’heure sur tout ce que nous pensions connaître du Roi de la Pop. Ici, il est question de l’homme lui-même, du père de famille, de l’être normal qu’il était dans sa vie quotidienne, malgré des hauts et des bas. Les auteurs, en toute objectivité, dressent un portrait de lui des plus authentique avec une immense loyauté et respect. Certaines anecdotes font rire d’autres vous tirent des larmes et on réalise qu’il n’était pas si facile d’être dans la peau de Michael Jackson. Merci à ses deux gardes du corps (Bill et Javon) de l’avoir protégé et défendu de leur mieux. J’ai trouvé leurs témoignages essentiels pour mettre en lumière le vrai du faux, une fois pour toutes car ils étaient là…proches de lui. Je recommande cet excellent livre à tous ceux qui aiment MJ et qui l’aimeront davantage après avoir lu.

What a beautiful man michael jackson was, never asked anything in return, he always gave to people all around the world to charities, to NGO's. He needed his own family the most. I just can't help imagining what have happened to him.. i beleive that his life could be saved if that doctor wasn't around him. He needed complete rest and best psychtriast possible. It is such an eye-opener book. We have lost a true and loving gem in the entire universe. May God bless MJ because he resides in our hearts, in our souls, in our prayers... I love him very much ❤️✨🫶