I was working with star on Africa gig says Irish surgeon

PR Log (Press Release) – Jul 12, 2009 – Plastic surgeon to the stars Patrick Treacy, who was a friend of the pop idol for many years, paid tribute to the late star.

And he revealed that his friend had cared deeply about the plight of others, despite his misunderstood and lonely life.

He said: "Michael was largely misunderstood by the world.

"He was the perfect embodiment of the rags-to-riches story, where celebrity took him from gifted musical child to global superstar.

"Unfortunately, it also took him to another place of loneliness, continual lawsuits and being surrounded by problems like failed plastic surgery."

The founder of Ailesbury Clinic had only recently enlisted Jackson's help in raising aid for African orphans and the pair were planning a concert.

Empathy

He said: "We talked many times about the problems of the world, and like myself he had a close empathy with Africa and the problems of that continent.

"In many ways there was a similarity between them, both resourceful yet impoverished, both exploited by the unsympathetic greed of the white man, both at times facing into an abyss largely beyond their making."

The pair had planned to hold a concert to highlight the problem and raise badly needed money for medical treatment.

He said: "Michael promised to bring me back down to Africa and had found a large place to do a concert in Rwanda, and in doing so try to heal some of the problems of HIV and the other horrendous diseases, which ravished that beautiful land.

"I felt his gentle words and tender smile were in some way also helping himself.

"Michael promised me at the time that he would fly me over on his private plane to meet Nelson Mandela, whose son would have been doing the organising on the ground.

"It could have been fantastic if it had come off."

Patrick first got to know the American star after he returned from years of working in war-torn areas around the world and set up his cosmetic surgery clinic in Dublin.

He soon developed a reputation for pioneering medical techniques and soon attracted star clients, including Jackson.

He said: "I see a lot of celebrities and I do know half of Hollywood, but as a doctor it wouldn't be right to talk about my patients."

This summer will see the Ailesbury Clinic going global with a rollout of 24 clinics in destinations as diverse as New York, London and Moscow.

- Tom Prendeville