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Janet Jackson has shared a moving tribute to her late brother, Toriano “Tito” Jackson, after he died suddenly last month.
The third of the nine Jackson siblings, Tito died aged 70 in September. His death was disclosed by his sons, TJ, Taj and Taryll, who said they were “shocked, saddened and heartbroken” at the news.
“Our father was an incredible man who cared about everyone and their well-being,” they said in a joint statement.
On Tuesday (15 October), which would have marked Tito’s 71st birthday, Janet shared a black and white photo of the two of them as children to her Instagram Stories, captioning it: “May you rest in eternal peace. I miss you so much!”
Janet's sister, La Toya Jackson, also paid tribute with a video shared to her Instagram page. She captioned it: “Happy Heavenly Birthday Tito! I will always love you!”
Born in 1953, Tito rose to fame alongside his siblings Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael in the Jackson 5, achieving hits with songs such as “ABC” and “I Want You Back”.
Describing himself as “the quietest member of the group”, Tito often expressed his hurt at being a punchline of jokes.
“One of my favorite basketball players, Charles Barkley, said, ‘If Tito wasn’t in the Jackson 5, would we miss him?’” he recalled in an interview with The Jitney in 2018. “That hit me in the heart. It crushed me.”
He said he deliberately held back from pursuing a solo career because he wanted to focus on raising his three sons, who went on to form their own music group, 3T.
In the same interview, Tito said that he doubted the surviving members would get used to performing without Michael: “He’s dearly missed.”
Also marking his birthday on 15 October, his son Taryll posted to Instagram: “Today, on what would have been Tito’s 71st birthday, we celebrate his incredible life and legacy, but most of all his beautiful spirit. His presence will always be deeply missed, but his music, kindness, and love will forever live on in our hearts.
“Tito brought so much joy to the world, both as a member of The Jackson 5 and The Jacksons, and as an amazing father, brother, son, uncle and friend who touched the lives of many.
“As we honour him and commemorate his first heavenly birthday, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has shown support and love during this challenging time. Your words of comfort and the respect for our family’s privacy has meant the world to us.”
He continued: “Tito’s legacy will continue to inspire, and we are forever grateful to have shared in his remarkable journey. Today, let’s remember Tito ‘Poppa T’ Jackson. Not just today, but every day, there will still be ‘Tito Time’. Thank you for your continued support and for keeping Tito’s spirit alive in your hearts. His last message was to Love One Another.”
