Every moment of the two-hour long Michael Jackson Memorial Service was so touching ...
Approximately 19,500 individuals filled up Los Angeles' Staples Center to honor the King of Pop ... Speakers from Magic Johnson to Brooke Shields to Smokey Robinson spoke of the lasting impression Michael had on them ... Everyone reminisced about Jackson the artist, Jackson the inspiration and Jackson the friend ...
But the most touching moment had to come at the end when daughter Paris spoke out for the first time about her father ...
The service started about 30 minutes late ... It officially began at 10:30am PST ...
The ceremony started when Smokey Robinson stepped out to read messages from Diana Ross and former South African President Nelson Mandela ...
The crowd was quite for about 15 minutes ... That's when the casket arrived and the Jackson family took their seats ...
At approximately 10:32am PST the gospel "Soon and Very Soon" played ...
Pastor Lucius Smith: "First and foremost, this man was our brother, our son, a father and a friend. Michael Jackson wanted nothing more than to give love to the world, to share of his singular talent and his soul, and perhaps be loved back in return. Through his words, his music and his countless good deeds, Michael did so much to try and heal our world...May this moment of remembrance, a moment of healing, a moment of music and a moment of love, bring comfort to those who loved our friend."
The service's first performance was Mariah Carey and Trey Lorenz's rendition of the Jackson 5's "I'll Be There" ...
Queen Latifah followed with a special poem written by Maya Angelou for the occasion titled "We Had Him" ...
Queen Latifah: "Today in Tokyo, beneath the Eiffel Tower, in Ghana's Blackstar Square, in Johannesburg and Pittsburgh, in Birmingham, Alabama, and Birmingham, England, we are missing Michael Jackson. But we do know we had him, and we are the world."
Motown Records founder Berry Gordy recounted tales of discovering the Jackson 5 ... Lionel Richie sang the Commodores' "Jesus Is Love" Stevie Wonder spoke for the first time about his friend's death and sang "I Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer" ...
Stevie Wonder: "This is a moment that I wished I didn't live to see come. But as much as I can say that and mean it, I do know that God is good, and I do know that as much as we may feel—and we do—that we need Michael here with us, God must have needed him far more."
Magic Johnson spoke alongside Kobe Bryant ... Bryant reminded the crowd that Jackson had made the Guinness Book of Records for most charities supported by a pop star ...
Jennifer Hudson performed "Will You Be There" which featured a minute-long Jackson voice-over ...
The Reverend Al Sharpton took the stage and gave one of the best oral tributes of the night ...
Al Sharpton: "I want his children to know. [There] wasn't nothing strange about your daddy. It was strange what your daddy had to deal with. But he dealt with it anyway."
Brooke Shields took the stage as well and spoke about her friend ...
Brooke Shields: "To us, it was the most natural and easiest of friendships. I was 13 when we met and from that day on our friendship grew. Michael always knew that he could count on me to support him or be his date, and that we would have fun no matter where we were. We had a bond. And maybe it was because we both understood what it was like to be in the spotlight from a very young age. I used to tease him and I'd say, 'You know, I started when I was 11 months old. You're a slacker. You were, what, 5?' Both of us needed to be adults very early."
John Mayer played guitar on a rendition of "Human Nature" ... Usher broke down toward the end of his performance of Jackson's "Gone Too Soon" ... Jermaine Jackson sang Michael's favorite song "Smile" ...
Martin Luther King Jr.'s children, Martin Luther King III and Bernice A. King and Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas also spoke about Jackson ...
The memorial service ended with a medley of "We Are the World" and "Heal the World" as they were being rehearsed for Jackson's London shows ...
Jermaine and Marlon Jackson thanked everyone for sharing the day with them ...
Marlon Jackson: "I stand here trying to find words of comfort, solace, trying to understand why the Lord has taken our brother to return home from such a short visit here on Earth. Michael, when you left us, a part of me went with you, and a part of you will live forever within me, but also a part of you will live forever within all of us."
Then Janet Jackson led Paris to the microphone ...
Paris Jackson: "Ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine. And I just wanted to say, I loved him so much."
~Papi Chulo~
