I have heard a lot of media personalities use "icon of an era" to describe Michael Jackson, and he certainly was.

But for me personally, he is really an icon of my childhood.  "Thriller" was the first album I ever owned.  Michael Jackson represents the part of my life when I hardly had a care in the world.  I'm reminded of spending time at home with my Mom as a toddler, watching music videos on MTV and VH1; browsing vinyl albums at the mall and begging my parents to buy them; or my fourth Christmas, when I got the famed red jacket and white sequined glove as a gift (pictured above)!  Countless memories from my childhood are associated with the pinnacle of Michael Jackson's career.

Regardless of what he did later in life or the manner in which he died, he was an inspiration to me and so many others, and he will forever remain a legend.