Patti Boulaye remembers Michael Jackson

Patti Boulaye remembers a surreal day with Michael Jackson and Uri Geller in 2001

THIS PHOTOGRAPH WAS TAKEN at the renewal of Uri’s wedding vows to his wife, Hanna, after 25 years of marriage. It was in a marquee next to Uri’s house in Berkshire. Michael Jackson was best man. There were 100 guests there, including people such as Dave Stewart, Barry Gibb, Sir David Frost – a lot of celebrities. Michael was two hours late because he had to go to hospital – he had a fractured leg. So, as you can imagine, those who drank were pretty tanked by the time he arrived. When Michael finally showed up we were told, ‘no photographs, no videos, please’ – and, of course, as soon as he walked in, everyone’s cameras were out. But Michael being Michael really didn’t mind. He was bopping away to the music. It was a very funny wedding. I don’t drink, so I could just observe all of it.

It wasn’t the first time that I’d met Michael. When he was 17, the Jackson 5 came to London to perform at Wembley. I was singing with a girl group called The Flirtations. I was introduced to him at a club called Gulliver’s. He was a very shy, pimply young man. We talked, and I just fell in love with his spirit . When he smile d there was so much innocence in it . It really touched your heart.

In 2002, Michael came back to England. Uri was chairman of Exeter City Football Club, and he wanted to take Michael there. He phoned me and said, ‘ What else can we do with the day?’ I suggested we tie it up with something worthwhile, so I got my charity, Support For Africa, involved. We have five healthcare clinics and a school in Africa; the school is now one of Prince Harry’s charities.

We hired the royal train and took Michael and 100 singers and dancers to Exeter. It was very bizarre. We turned up at Paddington, and Uri had forgotten to notify the police. There were hundreds of fans and just three policemen. Getting to the royal train, Michael was knocked down by the fans and disappeared under this crowd of bodies. His bodyguard – a big, gentle giant – came running past us saying, ‘I’ve got to get to my boss…’ And the next thing I know, he’s peeling people off Michael. It was so surreal. Eventually Michael got on the train and said, ‘Gee, that was fun! It had energy!’

It took me a long time to come to terms with Michael dying. I don’t know why I didn’t expect it; celebrities of his calibre, that’s usually what happens to them. But Michael had so much life.

When I look at this picture, I remember a very happy day. Every day with Michael was a happy day. — Interview by Mick Brown The Faith of a Child: The Autobiography of Patti Boulaye, is available now on lulu.com , amazon.co.uk ( £12.99), and on Kindle (£3.51)

At Paddington Michael was knocked down by the fans and disappeared under this crowd of bodies. His bodyguard was peeling people off him. Eventually he got on the royal train and said, ‘Gee, that was fun! It had energy!’