Michael Jackson's Mother and Children Share Memories
Photo: George Burns/Harpo Studios
PAGE 7
Soon after Michael's death, an autopsy revealed that a lethal dose of propofol caused him to go into cardiac arrest and die.
Katherine says she was shocked. She knew Michael had trouble sleeping, but she didn't know he may have taken prescription drugs to help him sleep or get through the day. In fact, she says it took her awhile to realize Michael became addicted to painkillers after he suffered severe burns while shooting a Pepsi commercial in 1984.
"Remember when he got burned in the head?" Katherine asks Oprah. "He had been taking those drugs, and it was a long time before I knew he was addicted to them."
When she tried to talk to Michael about his painkiller addiction, Katherine says he denied it. "I was very serious about it," she says. "I was telling him I didn't want to hear one day that he had overdosed, because it would break my heart. But he kept saying he wasn't on anything."
"You didn't believe him," Oprah says.
"No," Katherine says. "I didn't."
Katherine says she was shocked. She knew Michael had trouble sleeping, but she didn't know he may have taken prescription drugs to help him sleep or get through the day. In fact, she says it took her awhile to realize Michael became addicted to painkillers after he suffered severe burns while shooting a Pepsi commercial in 1984.
"Remember when he got burned in the head?" Katherine asks Oprah. "He had been taking those drugs, and it was a long time before I knew he was addicted to them."
When she tried to talk to Michael about his painkiller addiction, Katherine says he denied it. "I was very serious about it," she says. "I was telling him I didn't want to hear one day that he had overdosed, because it would break my heart. But he kept saying he wasn't on anything."
"You didn't believe him," Oprah says.
"No," Katherine says. "I didn't."
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