Whether you liked his music, you knew the name Michael Jackson and you knew what he was about.
Word of his death spread like wildfire in Connecticut leaving many in disbelief.
“A bunch of my friends just texted me 'oh my god Michael Jackson died', I thought they were joking - now it’s sinking in,” said Middletown fan Whitney Morgan.
Sinking in that the king of pop, the man who dominated the airwaves in the '80s, pioneered dance moves and broke pop chart records is gone.
“Michael Jackson is one of those people that’s an icon, a pop legend. One of my goals in life was to see him in life but that’s not going to happen,” said Alex Cabal, of Middletown.
Jo Allen echoed Cabal's sentiments. “People respected him and loved him. Like I said, 'Rest in peace, we love you M.J.'"
But there was more to the mysterious thriller. A side that turned some fans off: his child molestation trial and the rumors of excessive surgeries and skin treatments.
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“That turned me off. He is still. He was a genius but I also think he was tragic figure,” explained Tanika Simpson of Hamden.
Lifelong, dedicated fans argue his musical talents overshadowed his personal demons.
Cabal said, “its one of the those things that his music takes over his personal life.
