Tito Jackson would still be alive had he 'gotten help sooner', claims family

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Tito Jackson would still be "here" if he had “gotten help sooner," claims the guitarist’s friends and family.

The Motown legend, who was the brother of Michael Jackson, died after suffering a medical emergency while driving from New Mexico to Oklahoma on September 15, according to the former Jackson family manager Steve Manning.

Tito Jackson's loved ones believe he would still be alive had he gotten help sooner

The 70-year-old was declared dead just hours after he experienced a health crisis near a mall in Gallup, New Mexico. 

Per the police records, an officer "was flagged down" near the American Heritage Plaza at around 6.17 pm on September 15. Tito was soon transported to a hospital, but unfortunately he couldn't be saved. 

However, some of the close family members believe if the singer received medical treatment early on, he would still be alive.

A Jackson family insider told In Touch, "I firmly believe that if Tito had gotten help sooner, he’d still be here with us today!"

Before his sudden demise, Tito was touring in Europe with his brothers Jackie Jackson and Marlon Jackson as The Jacksons. 

Per the outlet, the musician is survived by his mother Katherine Jackson, his three sons Taj Jackson, Taryll Jackson, and TJ Jackson, his brothers Jackie, Marlon, Jermaine Jackson, and Randy Jackson, and sisters Rebbie Rebbie, La Toya Rebbie, and Janet Rebbie.

Tito Jackson's best friend revealed his final words

Tito Jackson’s best friend and business associate, Terry Harvey Maltbia, shared with Daily Mail the guitarist's last moments.  

Maltbia said that he, along with the musician and another friend, Ronald Balfour, were on a road trip from Oklahoma to California when Tito’s health began to deteriorate.

He mentioned that they stopped for some food in Gallup, New Mexico, in the middle of their road trip, when Tito started feeling chest pain. 

Maltbia noted, "We just got done eating turkey and chicken, laughing and talking. We were putting the top on the convertible because it started raining. That's when Tito came back on the passenger side window and said, 'My chest is hurting. Can you help Ronnie to finish the [car] top?'"

The friend continued, "He said, 'I ain't feeling good in my chest.' He wiped his face off, took off his shirt and it was like someone had thrown a bucket of water on him."

Soon, he was rushed to a local hospital after the police were informed.

"I figured everything was going to be OK since we got him to the hospital and he was still talking. He had a planned appearance at the Boys & Girls Club in Atlanta on Tuesday, but we thought we would miss that and might have to spend the night," stated Maltbia. 

He added, "And then a woman came back out and said, 'He's not doing good.' I said to her, 'What do you mean? He's not doing good because he can't get up? What do you mean? I was just talking to him!'"

"They took me back there and I looked at him. He had about seven doctors working on him and it got really bad. I called his brother, Marlon, and that's when he died," concluded Maltbia.