Joe Jackson, the family patriarch of the musical Jackson family, has been hospitalized and is being treated for cancer, an individual with knowledge of the situation told TheWrap on Friday.
It is unclear when Jackson, who is in his late 80s, was hospitalized, or where he was hospitalized.
However, the individual dismissed notions that his children have been blocked from seeing him, saying that several of his 11 children, including daughter La Toya Jackson, as well as his wife Katherine, have visited the ailing patriarch.
The Daily Mail reported that there had been a “tense stand off during which the Jackson family struggled to gain medical information about, and access to, Joe.” The British media outlet also quoted Jackson’s son, Jermaine Jackson, “No one knew what was going on – we shouldn’t have to beg, plead, and argue to see our own father, especially at a time like this … We have been hurting.”
Jermaine was also quoted as saying, “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.”
In a pair of tweets published Thursday, Jermaine acknowledged that his father’s health “is not good,” but to characterize the elder Jackson as “dying” is “harsh.”
“On the new story re Joseph. I’d like to be clear: I’ve no problem speaking up when it comes to the welfare of this family, but a journalist called me with information he clearly already had about my father. I confirmed certain details but ‘revealed’ nothing,” Jermaine Jackson tweeted.
“My father’s health is not good, but ‘dying’ is a harsh word chosen by headline writers, not me,” he added. “For however long he has left, my mother, siblings, and relatives want to be with him, without hindrance.”
On the new story re Joseph. I’d like to be clear: I’ve no problem speaking up when it comes to the welfare of this family, but a journalist called me with information he clearly already had about my father. I confirmed certain details but “revealed” nothing. (1/2)
— Jermaine Jackson (@jermjackson5) June 21, 2018
2: My father’s health is not good, but “dying” is a harsh word chosen by headline writers, not me. For however long he has left, my mother, siblings, and relatives want to be with him, without hindrance. (2/2)
— Jermaine Jackson (@jermjackson5) June 21, 2018