Paris Jackson lost her dad when she was only 11 years old. But thanks to a fan, the 20-year-old can imagine what it’s like to have a complete, loving family. On Tuesday, Paris posted an edited black-and-white photo on Twitter that shows her dad, Michael Jackson, and biological mother, Debbie Rowe, with her in the middle.
According to the NY Daily News, the photoshopped picture was created by an Instagram user with the handle @krafty_mj_stuff. It shows a present-day photo of Paris Jackson being hugged by the late King of Pop and his former wife Debbie Rowe.
Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe got divorced shortly after Paris was born, and the young model didn’t have a normal family while growing up. The “Man in the Mirror” singer passed away in 2009, leaving young Paris and her two brothers in the care of their grandmother, Katherine Jackson.
Fans can remember a young Paris Jackson, then only 11, giving a very touching speech at Michael Jackson’s memorial. No one has heard the very private child speak until that moment when she described the pop icon as “the best father you could ever imagine,” before sobbing into the arms of her aunt Janet Jackson.
Debbie Rowe, a former dermatology nurse, is also the mother of Paris’ older brother, Prince. She has not been present for most of their childhood, but Paris has reconnected with her in 2016.
While many of Michael Jackson’s fans were moved by the emotional photo, Fox News reported that Orange Is the New Black actress Lori Petty was among those who thought the picture was a too “creepy.” for their liking. The actress reportedly commented “creepy AF,” but deleted her harsh tweet soon after.
Paris calmly defended the fan-made family photo, explaining that “it’s nice” to envision a world where she has two parents.
“No, I think it’s nice to dream about what it would be like to have parents, and to have it put into something I can see, even it’s a fan-made edit.”
Petty and Jackson quickly made up and professed their love and respect for each other in succeeding “I love you” tweets.
Paris Jackson celebrated her 20th birthday over the weekend with a star-studded party at a bar in West Hollywood. According to E! News, famous guests included Paris Hilton, Chris Brown, Ashlee Simpson, and Reese Witherspoon’s 18-year-old daughter Ava Philippe.
Paris wore a colorful Missoni dress with retro print and a plunging neckline. She also showed off her fun personality by serving guests diner food such as fried chicken sliders and curly fries. Her older brother Prince was also in attendance.