Joe Jackson's Family Flocks to His Side as He's Hospitalized with Terminal Pancreatic Cancer
Joe Jackson — the music manager and father of 11, including singer Janet Jackson and the late Michael Jackson — has been hospitalized with terminal pancreatic cancer and is “not doing well,” a source confirms to PEOPLE.
The 89-year-old Jackson family patriarch has been battling the illness “for some time,” TMZ reports, but is “at the end stages” and “the cancer cannot be treated.” KABC reports the cancer is in stage four.
Family, including wife Katherine, has been at his bedside, sources tell TMZ. Jackson’s children and grandchildren have also made visits.
On Wednesday, son Jermaine told the Daily Mail, “He’s very, very frail, he doesn’t have long. The family needs to be by his bedside – that’s our only intention in his final days.”
Jermaine Jackson clarified his comments on Twitter Thursday, writing, “My father’s health is not good, but ‘dying’ is a harsh word…. For however long he has left, my mother, siblings, and relatives want to be with him, without hindrance.”
On the new story re Joseph. I'd like to be clear: I've no problem speaking up when it comes to the welfare of this family, but a journalist called me with information he clearly already had about my father. I confirmed certain details but "revealed" nothing. (1/2)
— Jermaine Jackson (@jermjackson5) June 21, 2018
2: My father's health is not good, but "dying" is a harsh word chosen by headline writers, not me. For however long he has left, my mother, siblings, and relatives want to be with him, without hindrance. (2/2)
— Jermaine Jackson (@jermjackson5) June 21, 2018
Reps for Jackson, as well as various Jackson relatives, did not immediately return PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Jackson last posted a video of himself on June 6, explaining that he was at Jamba Juice — where his son Michael’s music happened to be playing — and was struggling to choose what to order. “So many choices to select from,” he wrote. “With my son Michael’s music playing in the background. I wanna be starting .. drinking all three.”
At @JambaJuice . So many choices to select from. With my son Michael's music playing in the background. I wanna be starting .. drinking all three. pic.twitter.com/4vQ9J8BzIt
— Joseph Jackson (@Joe5Jackson) June 6, 2018
RELATED: Joe Jackson Hospitalized: ‘It Was Very Serious But He Is Out Of Danger Now,’ Says Source
This isn’t the first time the Jackson family patriarch has found himself hospitalized. In recent years he has as battled several health setbacks — including a stay in May 2016, due to a high fever.
In November 2012, he recovered from a minor stroke at his Las Vegas home. Three years later, daughter Janet had to put rehearsals for her Unbreakable World Tour on hold when he suffered another stroke and heart arrhythmia in Brazil on his 87th birthday in July 2015.
In June 2017, he was released from the hospital after a car accident in Las Vegas.
Joe and his wife Katherine had 10 children together: Maureen, 68, Jackie, 67, Tito, 64, Jermaine, 63, La Toya, 62, Marlon, 61, Randy, 56, and Janet, 52.
Son Michael died from an apparent cardiac arrest at age 50 on June 25, 2009. Son Brandon died at birth in 1957.
Joe is also the father of Joh’Vonnie Jackson, 43, the daughter of Cheryl Terrell, whom he had a 25-year-long affair with. Katherine filed for divorce twice but never went through with the separation.
