作者：Karen Faye（傑克遜化妝師）
Michael當時正準備兩個慈善演唱會，這些演唱會都是為國際紅十字會、納爾遜·曼德拉兒童基金會，和聯合國教科文組織的。
全部的表演者和他們的隨從由第一場演唱會的舉辦地韓國漢城乘坐專機到達慕尼克。
那真是一個愉快的旅程，因為我們可以用時間去瞭解每一個人。表演者是來自世界各地。
我們在1999年6月27日的下午到達慕尼克奧林匹克體育館，準備Michael夜晚的表演。
Michael在下午向大家介紹Andrea Bocelli。
夜幕降臨。夜幕改變了舞臺的氣氛。那不是一個悶熱夏天的下午。觀眾一直都在欣賞臺上的表演：Luther Vandross、The Kelly Brothers、Ringo Starr等。但是好像全場都在等待Michael的出現。觀眾在不斷騷動。
好神奇地，舞臺通過光墻、熒幕和儀器不斷為Michael的表演而轉變，所有這些都在其他表演者表演時隱藏著。
Michael、Michael Bush和我自己在最後幾分鐘在舞臺的旁邊的更衣室內打理一下一些細節。一長串的核對表: 麥克風、電線、服裝的轉換、毛巾、歌曲表、冰、佳得樂、油畫、搽粉。當燈光降下來時，Michael做了一下伸展準備運動。 我可以感覺到觀眾參與的熱情和對於我們的動力。任何有預示Michael的出場都能激動觀眾。他會在幕布後面偷看觀眾。樂隊從後面的臺階上來。Michael傳統地為他們的加入祈禱。
表演狂暴般的開始了。我們好幾年製作的心血。在我準備好下一場後，我在舞臺右方觀看表演。
所有的東西都進展得很順利……那段串燒……“Beat it”……和Slash一起表演“Black or White”……“Billie Jean”。
當地的唱“Earth Song”的藝人開始登場。再一次“Earth Song”……然後那段橋出現了，就像在韓國一樣。孩子們和大人們漸漸進入並登場。歌曲繼續在唱……Michael飛跑上那段橋，旋轉、踏腳，這時橋正在上升。煙、爆炸，轟擊我們的眼球和耳朵……橋升得越來越高，但是和彩排不一樣，接下來是最後的表演……到了最高點都沒有停下來……而是速度越來越快的傾斜下來，這時Michael緊抓著欄桿……繼續在唱。我開始大喊，但是我自己都不能聽見我的聲音，因為音樂和觀眾的關系。當我看見橋在舞臺下消失時，我開始從後臺驚恐的跑出來，拍打水泥地板。保安抓著並阻止我，怕我去毀壞整場演出。
在後臺，開始有哭聲和尖叫聲，只有工作人員和表演者知道有事弄糟了。從我們這個有利的角度看，當橋在舞臺前方倒下時，Michael消失了。我的心停止了跳動，而強有力雙臂的保安卻顯得不知所措。盡管表演還在繼續，但對於我來說，時間停止在那一刻，因為我無法想像Michael在摔下後還可以生存。
但是漸漸地，在那感覺永遠的時間後，隨著音樂和掌聲，我看見一段手臂從舞臺上伸出來……然後一條傾斜的腿，再看見另外一條……他站起來了，在舞臺的中央……完成那首“Earth Song”！！我看得目瞪口呆。
看起來有點昏的Michael，走到了我們這邊。“Michael，坐下來……”
“不！”他強烈說道。
“保安……請把他送到醫院去。”我央求道。
“不！！”他緊抓麥克風，並且跑出去完成了“You Are Not Alone”的表演。
我不能相信我看見的一切。他唱完那首歌，最後鞠躬，再一次回到舞臺的更衣室，然後……他崩潰了。保安飛奔把他送到慕尼克的醫院。
樂隊的成員、舞蹈演員、Slash和全體工作人員都感到震驚，都在為Michael可以完成表演而祈禱。
當我到達酒店，第一件事情是開始打電話問他現在怎麼樣。我得到報道說他什麼都沒斷，但是他嚴重的擦傷了，他的背部也很嚴重的拉傷了。那真是一個奇跡。作為一個表演者，他知道怎樣去完成他的表演。
第二天我們要離開，去巴黎拍攝。這個因Michael的傷勢被延誤了，直到Michael感到有所好轉。我問他……為什麼你還要繼續？我不能相信你可以做到。
“當時我腦裏只出現我爸說的話，Michael，不要使觀眾失望！”
Michael Jackson & Friends — June 27, 1999 Munich
Story by Karen Faye
“I thought he was surely dead!”
Michael was headlining two benefit concerts for the International Red Cross, Nelson Mandela’s Children’s Fund, and UNESCO, “Michael Jackson and Friends”. The roster of performers and their entourage flew from Seoul , Korea where the first concert was held, to Munich on a chartered plane. It was such a wonderful flight because we were able to spend some time and get to know everyone. There were performers from all over the world.
We arrived at the Munich Olympic Stadium in the afternoon on June 27, 1999 to prepare for Michael’s evening appearance. Michael introduced Andrea Bocelli in the late afternoon.
The sun was setting. The darkness changed the entire feeling of the arena. It was a hot summer evening. The crowd had been enjoying performances by other artists all day: Luther Vandross, The Kelly Brothers, Ringo Starr… but it seemed the audience was waiting for Michael. The excitement was building.
Magically, the stage was being transformed with emerging walls of lights, screens and equipment that had been created for Michael’s show, that were hidden behind the other performances.
Michael Jackson, Michael Bush and myself were using the last minutes to take care of some details in the dressing room, just stage right. A long check list: Microphones, wires, wardrobe changes, towels, song list, ice, Gatorade, fans, grease paints, powder. Michael did some stretches to warm up, as the lights lowered in the house.
I could feel the energy of anticipation the crowd directed towards us. Any hint of Michael’s appearance created excited chaos in the crowd. He would peek out at the audience from behind the curtains. The band came up the back stairs. Michael met them for the traditional prayer joining their hands.
Everything was going perfectly… the medley… Beat It… Black or White with Slash… Billie Jean.
The local performers for Earth Song started filing on stage. Earth Song began… then the bridge appeared, just as it had done in Korea . The children and adults slowly entered and filled the stage. The song builds… Michael flies up the bridge and gyrates and pounds his feet, twirls as the bridge lifts away from its braces. Smoke, explosions, bombard our eyes and ears… the bridge continues higher and higher, but unlike rehearsals, and the last show… it didn’t pause at its pinnacle… Instead it came careening down, gaining speed with Michael tightly grasping the railings… still singing. I started screaming, but I could not even hear my own voice over the pyro, music, and the audience. I started running out from behind the stage in horror as the bridge quickly disappeared below the front of the stage, slamming down on the concrete floor. Security grabbed and stopped me, thinking I was going to ruin the performance.
Backstage, there was crying and screaming, only the crew and performers knew there was something desperately wrong. From our vantage point we had lost sight of Michael, as the bridge had fallen below the front of the stage. My heart stopped beating, while in the strong arms of a perplexed security guard. Even though the show continued for everyone else, time stood still for me as I could not imagine how Michael could have survived such a fall.
But slowly, and after what seemed like an eternity, as the music and applause continued, I saw one arm reach for the floor of the stage… then a long lean leg, another arm, another leg… he was up, center stage… finishing the end of Earth Song! My mouth dropped open in relieved amazement.
Looking dazed, he made his way to our side of the stage. “Michael, sit down…” “No!” he demanded. “Security… please get him to the hospital!” I was begging. “No!” He grabbed the microphone and ran out to finish performing You Are Not Alone.
I could not believe what I was witnessing. He finished the song, took his final bow, and returned once again to his stage dressing room and then… collapsed. Security whisked him off to a hospital in Munich . Band members, dancers, Slash and crew members, all shocked and amazed at what we had witnessed, wrapped up the show with prayers in our hearts.
Once back in the hotel… I started making the phone calls to find out how he was. I got the reports that nothing was broken, but he was badly bruised, and his back was very badly strained. It had been a miracle. Being the performer he was, he knew how to land.
The next day we were to leave for Paris for a photo shoot. This had been postponed until he was better.
I asked him… why did you continue? I cannot believe you were able to do that.
“You know Turkle, the only thing that I heard in my head, was my father’s voice saying to me, ‘Michael, don’t disappoint the audience!’”
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