Hundreds visit Jackson's boyhood Gary home

GARY, Ind. – Elvis Presley. John Lennon. Michael Jackson.

Mourners across the globe are using the first two names to convey their sense of disbelief after hearing about the sudden death of superstar performer Michael Jackson on Thursday in Los Angeles.

Lifetime Gary residents and fans from across the tri-state area gathered Thursday night and Friday at Jackson’s childhood home at the intersection of 23rd Avenue and Jackson Street in Gary. News media crews stayed into the early morning hours Friday to document the hundreds of fans celebrating Jackson’s life.

The generation that grew up with “Little Mikey,” as Jackson is affectionately called, is searching for words to describe a new world without the “King of Pop.”

“I can’t eat. I can’t sleep,” said Antonio Wilson, dressed in full Jackson stage garb. “All I can do is dance, keep dancing.”

Wilson elevated the mood of the somber crowd mid-morning Friday when he began dancing in signature Jackson point-kicks and moonwalks. One man brought a large boom box to the curb, and soon the entire block was filled with Jackson 5 megahits “ABC” and “I Want You Back” and iconic Jackson singles “Thriller” and “Billie Jean.”

“All of his music was for the people,” Wilson said. “His shows were about everybody being together. He wasn’t just an American idol, he was the world’s idol.”

Stay connected to idsnews.com and see Monday’s print edition for more stories and photos from Gary.