by Claire O'Neill

People all over the world are mourning the sudden death of pop legend Michael Jackson. Despite the questionable course of his adult life, fans can't help but look back in awe at some of his best moments.

  • Jackson fan Antonia Carlos Gomes dances Friday on a roof in the slum of Santa Marta, where Jackson filmed the Spike Lee-directed video "They Don't Care About Us" in 1996, in Rio de Janeiro.
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    Jackson fan Antonia Carlos Gomes dances Friday on a roof in the slum of Santa Marta, where Jackson filmed the Spike Lee-directed video "They Don't Care About Us" in 1996, in Rio de Janeiro.
    Ricardo Moraes/AP
  • Fans of Michael Jackson take part in a candlelight memorial Friday in Karachi, Pakistan.
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    Fans of Michael Jackson take part in a candlelight memorial Friday in Karachi, Pakistan.
    Shakil Adil/AP
  • Fans of pop star Michael Jackson sit vigil on the Hollywood Walk of Fame mourning his death on Thursday in Los Angeles. Jackson, 50, died after suffering cardiac distress at his home and in a hospital.
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    Fans of pop star Michael Jackson sit vigil on the Hollywood Walk of Fame mourning his death on Thursday in Los Angeles. Jackson, 50, died after suffering cardiac distress at his home and in a hospital.
    Charley Gallay/Getty Images
  • Fans actually gathered around the star of a former KABC radio personality with the same name. The pop star's memorial, located near Grauman's Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard, was covered with scaffolding in preparation for the filming of a movie.
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    Fans actually gathered around the star of a former KABC radio personality with the same name. The pop star's memorial, located near Grauman's Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard, was covered with scaffolding in preparation for the filming of a movie.
    Charley Gallay/Getty Images
  • Some fans, such as Marlon Russ (center), express their grief by dancing and singing outside the UCLA Medical Center on Thursday.
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    Some fans, such as Marlon Russ (center), express their grief by dancing and singing outside the UCLA Medical Center on Thursday.
    Michal Czerwonka/Getty Images
  • A crowd meets outside of the Apollo Theater in Harlem, in remembrance of the "King of Pop."
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    A crowd meets outside of the Apollo Theater in Harlem, in remembrance of the "King of Pop."
    Cory Schwartz/Getty Images
  • Mourners gather outside Jackson's childhood home in Gary, Ind.
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    Mourners gather outside Jackson's childhood home in Gary, Ind.
    Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
  • Erine D. Shelby plays Jackson tunes on her saxophone as mourners gather outside the pop star's boyhood home in Gary, Ind., Thursday.
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    Erine D. Shelby plays Jackson tunes on her saxophone as mourners gather outside the pop star's boyhood home in Gary, Ind., Thursday.
    M. Spencer Green/AP
  • A message from P. Diddy is displayed on Twitter in response to the news that Michael Jackson has died.
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    A message from P. Diddy is displayed on Twitter in response to the news that Michael Jackson has died.
    Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images
  • A crowd gathers for a flash mob tribute to Jackson outside Liverpool Street station in London on Friday.
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    A crowd gathers for a flash mob tribute to Jackson outside Liverpool Street station in London on Friday.
    Ian West/PA Wire
  • A Jackson fan and impersonator attends a vigil in Mexico City on Thursday.
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    A Jackson fan and impersonator attends a vigil in Mexico City on Thursday.
    Eduardo Verdugo/AP

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Check out NPR's hub page for more on Jackson's life and legacy. And for a biography in pictures, take a look at this gallery:

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