Although Michael and i have never met, I will always share a special bond with him. I grew up in a Jehovah Witness family of which my father was first a ministerial servant through my childhood years and then became an Elder in my adolescent years. Nobody can even imagine what a family has to endure and give up when your parent(s) are soley committed to their faith. As I am sure Michael experienced, I too had a lost childhood although I am not a world Icon so I can't even start to imagine his sense of loneliness and how he was torn between his love for music and his Mother's religion as I know he tried to satisfy both. I truly think this song "Heal the World" was his way of reaching out to those in need and to teach us all to love thy neighbour.
I will miss you Michael and forever wish I would have reached out to you in some way to let you know how proud I am of you for what you did in life and your efforts to make this world of ours a better place.
Your unknown friend,
Mark