Katherine Jackson's motherly touch leaves a profound impression on her children. The late Michael Jackson's mother made a rare appearance alongside her daughter, La Toya Jackson, aged 69, just weeks before her 96th birthday. In a video shared on Instagram on March 10, La Toya, dressed in an all-black Coach ensemble, stood by Katherine's side as they attended church and smiled at the camera. "This lovely lady will be 96 on May 4th," La Toya wrote in the caption. "A kind soul that radiates love. An inspiration to us all!"
Although Katherine, who is also the mother of Rebbie Jackson, 75, Jackie Jackson, 74, Jermaine Jackson, 71, Marlon Jackson, 68, Randy Jackson, 64, Janet Jackson, 59, and the late Tito Jackson, has kept out of the spotlight in recent years, La Toya has been vocal about her love for the matriarch. "Her expression of love and kindness is always deeply felt!" she wrote on Instagram for Katherine's birthday last year. "We all love you, Mother!"
La Toya's admiration for her mother was matched only by that of her brother Michael. "Every child thinks their mother is the greatest mother in the world, but we Jacksons never lost that feeling," the "Thriller" singer wrote in his 1998 autobiography Moonwalk. "Because of Katherine's gentleness, warmth, and attention, I can't imagine what it's like to grow up without a mother's love."
Michael continued, "The lessons she taught us were invaluable. Kindness, love, and consideration for other people headed her list." Following his death in 2009 at the age of 50, the Grammy winner left his children - Prince Jackson, 29, Paris Jackson, 27, and Bigi Jackson, 24 - in Katherine's custody.
"Out of all the people in Michael's life, I think Michael adored his children more than anything else," she told Dateline in 2010. "And they adored him."
"There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about my son," Katherine continued. "It really has been hard. But with the friends, loved ones, and family around me, I'm doing okay, especially with prayer."
