The media has been speculating that Michael Jackson’s younger sister and the second most successful member of his family, Janet, will step in and raise his children. Michael stipulated in his will that his mother Katherine be granted custody, but Katherine is 80 and it’s unknown how much longer she’ll be able to care for his kids. Janet, 43, was seen comforting Jackson’s children during Michael’s memorial and many outlets have guessed that she would soon be taking a role as mother. According to TMZ, the oldest Jackson child Rebbie, 59, is the one who will actually be raising Michael’s children. Rebbie has three children, the youngest of which is 24, and has been married to her childhood sweetheart for over forty years. She’s been helping her mother with the children in the wake of Michael’s death and they’re said to adore her.
Multiple sources in the Jackson family tell us — even if Katherine Jackson gets custody of Michael Jackson’s kids — Michael’s big sister Rebbie Jackson will raise the children.
The 59-year-old singer, who shares a home in Las Vegas with her hubby of over 20 years has kept a low public profile, but privately she has been deeply involved in the lives of Michael’s children.
We’re told Rebbie is currently living with Katherine at the family’s Encino home and is caring for the kids day-to-day. As for the kids … they all adore her.
Although the family is divided on many issues involving Michael’s estate, we’re told there’s no argument when it comes to Rebbie caring for the kids. Whether she eventually becomes the custodial parent in name or not, she will end up with the primary responsibility of raising Michael’s three children.
[From TMZ]
It’s so nice to hear that Katherine has help with the children and that they have another aunt who wants to raise them. Many people were worried that Michael’s kids would be subjected to exploitation by their cold-hearted grandfather, but it sounds like there are enough people around them to protect and care for them at this difficult time. Amid all the crazy stories about Jackson’s life and his complicated financial affairs, it’s reassuring to know that his children are with family members who love them.
I hope this is true, because it is known that Rebbie has never gotten along with her father, and maybe those poor children will be able to stay out of the evil clutches of that sick old grandfather.
I second that firestarter. Rebbie seems stable and she’s very private so I feel the kids would live a normal life under her guardianship.
I hope she does, she is very beautiful too and natural. Janet and Latoya should not have had surgery, they had nice genes already.
I’m confused – you say 40 years, the TMZ blurb says they’ve been married for 20?
Probably the latter Jane since her oldest child is 24 and her husband is her high school sweetheart.
rebbie has been married to the same man since she was 18 years old, tmz got it wrong
If she bolted at 18 and she’s only 9 years older than Michael it looks like she’s the only Jackson kid who got out before the crap hit the fan (fame and media wise) Probably the most stable person.
Rebbie has been out of public scrutiny, does not seem to have a desire to be in the media circus, as her siblings do. She lives a four hour drive from Palmdale, (Debbie Rowe’s residence).
(It’s my understanding Rebbie resides in Las Vegas.)
Problematic is privacy, education, (private school?) and Las Vegas itself.
I lived in Las Vegas for five years and it is one of the least favorable for raising children. It’s an isolated community with nothing beyond it’s drinking/gambling existence.
She seems to be the only normal Jackson.
@nick: rebbie had had a fair share bit of fame as well even though she left home early. she was in the jackson variety show that ran for 3 seasons like all her brothers and sister, And she also had a singing career, Michael wrote and produce her songs and her album, he wrote and prouded her top 5 hit ‘Centipede’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhoJWL0Tjnk
Michael sings background vocals on the song.
I think Rebbie is a great choice, but she needs to get legal custody. Defacto custody is not enough to protect them, make decisions for them, advocate for them, etc., if Joe Jackson is still in the picture “co-parenting” with Katherine.
@8.There is nothing wrong with raising a child in Las Vegas.I was born and raised in Vegas and I do not drink at all,ever. I am so sick of people saying bad things about Vegas,and I am also glad you left here.There are plenty of upstanding citizens and we are sick of people coming here from everywhere else and acting a freaking fool then turn around and say such dumb comments like yours.Oh, and FYI it is not the natives who cause the problems for the most part,but the visitors and transplants.And to say that it is only drinking and gambling is pure ignorance on your part,we have skiing,lots of mountains for hiking ,Lake Mead, art museums as well as history museums,so there are plenty of other things to do outside of gambling and drinking,unless all you want to do is gamble and drink.So speak for yourself.
Looks fair to give Rebbie the custody of the children. She is not only stable, she is also a person that seems to be able to protect the children from their grandfather, besides she has experience in raisin children.
God
I was hoping this would happen. I think Rebbie planned to take them all along. She seems to be one of the two stable members of that whole f*cked-up menage (Marlon being the other). Except for “Centipede” which made her famous in 1984, she’s lived her life well below the radar and kept a very low profile — exactly what Michael’s children need right now. She and her husband will provide them with a safe, secure and protective environment. And she will see Joe Jackson dead before she lets him get within 100 feet of the kids.
Rebbie actually married at 17, not at 18, and probably saved her sanity in getting out of that nuthouse while the getting was good. Marlon married his teenage crush at 19 and they are still married after 32 years and have three grown children and one grandchild. Marlon and Rebbie are the only Jackson children who haven’t been divorced.
Jane Q and diddy: Actually, TMZ didn’t get it wrong. They said Rebbie has been married to her husband for over 20 years. 42 years is more than 20 years.
🙂
Wow. What a beautiful looking woman!
I’d say that any Jackson family member/siblings can take care of Paris, Prince and Blanket. If the kids pick a certain aunt/uncle, it’s gonna be their favourite family member anytime sooner. If they decide on “Grandma”, it’s grandma for them. But if they choose another, no one’s going to choose it but for the good of themselves, for their future.