S Poddar
Janet Jackson opened up about her brother Toriano “Tito” Jackson in a heartfelt message on what would have been his 71st birthday. On Tuesday, the 58-year-old singer shared a touching black-and-white childhood photo of the siblings on her social media. The caption read, “May you rest in eternal peace. I miss you so much!” This is the first time Janet has publicly spoken about Tito since his passing last month.
Tito, one of the original members of the famous Jackson 5 group, died September 15 after suffering from a heart attack as he was driving from California to Oklahoma with two other friends. Tito was taken to a New Mexico hospital where he later succumbed.
A friend and companion who traveled together with Tito in the three-day road trip narrated his last days:. He had just they were eating and chatting, and then the turn of events. “We were putting the top on the convertible because it started raining. That’s when Tito came back to the car and said, ‘My chest is hurting. Can you help Ronnie to finish the [car] top?
‘He said, ‘I ain’t feeling good in my chest.’ He wiped his face off, took off his shirt, and it was like someone had thrown a bucket of water on him.” Jackson family tributes published in days following Tito’s death.
Janet’s sister La Toya Jackson posted a video on Instagram in tribute to Tito on Tuesday, remembering the artist. “Happy Heavenly Birthday Tito! I will always love you!,” she captioned. Another sibling, Jackie Jackson, posted a photo captioning on Instagram, “Your first heavenly birthday is a reminder that though you may have left this world, your memory will forever be etched in our hearts.”
Tito Jackson’s legacy of love and music will be cherished by his vast family, including his three sons with his ex-wife Delores “Dee Dee” Martes-from a 16-year marriage that ended in 1988-from Taj, 51, Taryll, 49, and TJ, 46. Nine grandchildren also survive him. Tito’s middle son, Taryll Jackson, posted an especially emotional message to social media in honor of his late dad:. “If I get one more call, I would tell you how much I love you, Taryll wrote.
“I always tried to show how much I loved and appreciated you because I wanted you to know. I like all the great memories, especially the last couple of years. I really learned to understand you better, how easy you were and what mattered most to you. Our conversations and your words are so clear in my head. You gave me so much, and still, I wish I could have more—more time, more laughter, more stories, more memories.” Taryll concluded his tribute by saying, “I miss you and I love you Pops. Happy Heavenly Birthday!”
His brother Taj commented on the post with a red heart, and TJ, Tito’s youngest son, wrote under his father’s official Instagram: “I miss you pops. I love you pops. Thank you for all you did for us.”
This is after several years since Janet and her family passed through another major tragedy: the death of her brother Michael Jackson in 2009. It is reported that Michael Jackson died at the age of 50 due to acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication. Seemingly, with time, Janet has posted a number of posts dedicated to Michael. Despite this personal pain, Janet has been productive in her career. She has recently concluded her 94-date “Together Again” tour and is getting ready to embark on a 10-date residency in Las Vegas starting Dec. 30 at Resorts World Theatre. That residency will feature a special New Year’s Eve performance. Despite all she has gone through, Janet’s influence in the music industry remains strong.
She sold over 100 million records around the world and remains one of the top artists on streaming platforms; she achieves 5.6 million listeners a month on Spotify.
Janet has been in the entertainment business since childhood days. She was just 10 years old when she appeared on a family CBS variety show in 1976 and soon started landing small roles on popular TV shows like Good Times, Diff’rent Strokes, and Fame. This successful life as an entertainer has not only given her multiple Grammy Awards but also an Oscar nomination as a songwriter. Tito’s legacy is as much encrusted with music and love for family as is the rest of the Jackson family. He left a gigantic hole within the hearts of people close to him, but the memories and achievements he undertook through his children, grandchildren, and the impact he made on the music world will never fade away.
