Michael Jackson, the onetime child star turned King of Pop, died in Los Angeles on Thursday afternoon after suffering an apparent cardiac arrest in his home. He was 50 years old.
Jackson was pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m. at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center not far from his rental mansion in the Holmby Hills. The cause of death wasn’t known. An autopsy is set for Friday.
“It’s a very sad day for all of us,” Jackson’s manager, Frank DiLeo, tells PEOPLE. ” It’s such a terrible shame. He was my friend.” As for Jackson’s three children – Blanket, 7, Paris, 11, and Prince Michael, 12 – DiLeo says, “The kids are very upset, but they are fine.”
The entertainer was stricken Thursday afternoon and a 911 call was placed. “His personal physician, who was with him at the time, attempted to resuscitate Jackson, as did paramedics who transferred him,” according to a statement from the hospital.
Frantic, Futile Efforts
With an oxygen mask over his face, Jackson was carted to a red ambulance and rushed to the hospital, arriving at 1:14 p.m. “A team of doctors including emergency physicians and cardiologists attempted to resuscitate for a period of more than one hour but were unsuccessful,” the statement says.
Jackson had been busy rehearsing for a high-stakes comeback tour, set to start within weeks in England, with dozens of dates scheduled and tickets selling out quickly. To prepare for the rigors of performing, he was training with Lou Ferrigno, the star of the TV show The Incredible Hulk.