Joe Jackson, the father of the late Michael Jackson and patriarch of the musical family, suffered a stroke while visiting Brazil and was hospitalized in the intensive care unit of a Sao Paulo hospital, the facility said Monday.
The Albert Einstein hospital said in an emailed statement that Jackson was admitted on Sunday afternoon and was suffering from an irregular heartbeat. It did not provide any further details about Jackson’s condition, and a spokeswoman said the hospital did not have any further information.
But one of the organizers of a party that brought Jackson to Brazil for his 87th birthday on Sunday said he was doing well.
“He is perfectly conscious, he is talking perfectly well without any problems, he is completely dynamic,” said Nogueira Fresco, one of the organizers of the party. The fete marking Jackson’s birthday went ahead Saturday without its guest of honor. Local media reported he was not feeling well enough to attend.
Nexxing, the company that invited Jackson to Brazil, said he arrived in the South American nation on Wednesday and attended several events, including a visit to a Sao Paulo soccer stadium, before falling ill. Photos from his official website also show him dining in Sao Paulo restaurants.
Jackson was due to leave Brazil on Tuesday.
Jackson has suffered minor strokes in the past, including one in 2012.
Associated Press
