Everyone has their favorite Michael Jackson song. Mine has always and will always be P.Y.T.

At all my high school dances, “Thriller” was played at least one time. How amazing is it that a song released in 1982 is played at school dances decades later? Michael Jackson’s music is so powerful it has that effect on people.

His death in recent weeks shook the earth. Many took Michael’s music to heart and it was evident in the outpouring of emotions after his death was announced that the world cared for Michael.

Though the child prodigy’s life started spiraling downward, from molestation charges to facial surgeries, we all need to remember him in his prime- when he was a young man who taught us all to moonwalk.

I’m very sick of people being mean about his death. I unfortunately have even seen people react happily that he was dead. Yes, he was a troubled man and may or may not have molested children. Yes, he did look pretty frightening after all of his facial surgeries. And yes, he was definitely a little bit strange, but at the end of the day, everyone needs to remember: he was a human being.

Michael is human just like the rest of us. He was a father to three children, a son to his parents, a brother to his siblings and a friend to many. He was an extraordinary man from Gary, Indiana who connected us all together. To rejoice in the death of another human being is just wrong.

We may never again see a visionary like Michael among us. May he rest in peace.