Grace Rwaramba, the woman closest to Jackson and his three children, was in London when news of the tragedy broke on Thursday.As she prepared to board a plane to fly home and comfort the orphaned kids Grace got the call from one of the Jackson family which shocked her to the core.
She told interviewer Daphne Barak: "The relative said, 'Grace, you remember Michael used to hide cash at the house? I'm here. Where can it be?'
"I told them to look in the garbage bags and under the carpets. But can you believe that? They just lost Michael a few hours ago and already one of them is calling me to know where the money is!
"They also told me the children were crying and asking about me. They can't believe their father died."
This is the first time Grace, 42, has broken her silence on her 17 years with Jackson - five as his secretary and 12 as nanny.
In candid conversations she revealed sensational details of the pop king's secret life, how he:
* DOWNED so many drugs she had to pump his stomach on many occasions to prevent a fatal overdose. * SPONGED off generous pals' handouts and loans.
* SPENT weeks living in the basement of a former employee's cramped home recently because he was BROKE.
* TERRIFIED his children who actually HATED the masks he forced them to wear in public.
Choking back tears, Grace spelled out her fears over the orphaned kids - Prince, 12, Paris, 11 and seven-year-old Prince Michael II, known to the family as Blanket - and admitted: "I'm really distraught for them. Michael hadn't been eating and the kids have been so scared for him.
"Now the youngest has been saying,'Why Daddy? God should have taken me not him.' "
Uganda-born Grace, 42, revealed she fled America to join TV interviewer Barak at her Swiss holiday home after she was abruptly sacked by ailing Jackson just two months ago. And on Thursday she screamed with shock as she learned of his death.
Grace now finds herself at the centre of the billion-pound custody battle for the children - now being looked after by Jacko's mum Katherine, 79.
Tags: