Jackson fans shared pop star's stage

BY GREER MCDONALD AND MATT CALMAN

Last updated 10:37 27/06/2009

JOHN SELKIRK/Fairfax Media

ON STAGE: Olivia, left, and Helena Miles shared a stage with Michael Jackson in 1997.

The Press

LONG WAIT: Christchurch fan Theresa Stevens flies to London today for a Michael Jackson concert that will never take place.

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Two Michael Jackson fans who shared a stage with the "King of Pop" say his death is a tragedy.

Auckland lawyer Olivia Miles and her siblings Helena and Gareth shared the stage with Jackson at his Dublin concert in 1997, as part of a children's choir in front of 50,000 screaming fans.

Ms Miles, now 25, was chosen as one of three children to meet the star.

"He was in his space suit costume. He said 'hi', he touched us on the head. I grew up with his music so it was huge to be able to do that."

Gareth, 22, said they were not allowed to take cameras backstage so later on none of his school friends in Auckland believed he had sung with Jackson.

"We had no evidence. They just said ... 'there's no way you went on stage with Michael Jackson'. It's tragic the way it's ended but it's something we'll always treasure."

Helena, 19, was seven at the time. Jackson held her hand and picked her up and sang to her.

"I just can't believe he's gone."

Nurse leader Bernadette Twomey remembers the excitement of Jackson's visit to Auckland's Starship hospital in 1996.

"He definitely brightened a lot of children's lives that day."

Another fan, Christchurch's Theresa Stevens, will fly to London today for a Michael Jackson concert that will never take place.

Stevens, 24, bought tickets for Jackson's July 10 concert in London's O2 Arena one of the first performances of a planned 50-concert farewell tour by the pop legend.

Tickets, costing between NZ$128 and $190, sold out within hours of going on sale in March.

Stevens had to change her plans last month after the singer's management rescheduled the July 10 date until March next year to allow more time for dress rehearsals. "I didn't want to wait that long because I didn't think he'd make it," Stevens said.

Instead, she splashed out $1000 on two tickets one for a friend from online site Ebay and was eagerly awaiting Jackson's July 16 concert in London.

Stevens said she was too young to see Jackson when he performed in Auckland in 1996.

She was upset about Jackson's death.

"I've wanted to see him for so long and I'm gutted. It's very sad," she said.

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"I thought he might get sick and I wasn't sure he would make it."

-With The Press

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