Michael Jackson exclusive: Blanket Jackson's surrogate mother is a Mexican nurse named Helena - mirror.co.uk

Michael Jackson exclusive: Blanket Jackson's surrogate mother is a Mexican nurse named Helena

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By Ryan Parry 12/08/2009

The surrogate mother of Michael Jackson’s seven-year-old son Blanket is a Mexican nurse named Helena.

As several people come forward to claim parenthood over the King of Pop’s three children, the Mirror has discovered the truth behind the birth of his youngest.

Despite rumours about who fathered the boy, we can reveal Jackson is his biological dad.

Blanket, real name Prince Michael Jackson II, was born on February 21, 2002 at the Sharp Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa, near San Diego in Southern California.

Now it can be revealed his mother was a pretty latino nurse who Jackson personally selected. Jacko paid Helena a $20,000 surrogacy fee to have his child and lavished her with gifts, generous expenses and staff to see to her needs.

Her identity has been a secret since Blanket was born. On his birth certificate Michael Joseph Jackson is identified as the father but the line for “Name of Mother” is left blank.  

The child was conceived through IVF. Jacko donated his sperm for the procedure.

An unknown woman, also chosen for her gene pool, was the egg donor – effectively making her Blanket’s biological mother.

The woman was paid a mere $3,500 for her contribution and signed legal papers handing over all rights to the child. Her identity is an even bigger secret within the Jackson family.

It is unlikely she was even told that her eggs were involved in Blanket’s birth.

A close friend of Jackson’s told the Mirror: “Michael wanted a designer baby. He had two wonderful children but wanted one more and was quite specific on the gene pool he wanted to tap into.” Jackson approached IVF specialist Dr Lila Schmidt at the beginning of 2001 when Prince was three and Paris was two.

It has been claimed that Debbie Rowe, the mother of the two eldest children, had medical complications following Paris’s birth which forced Jacko to look elsewhere for a mother.

Helena was one of a string of women presented to the star as possible surrogates. He reviewed several profiles which included photos, full background checks and family history.

Jacko decided on Helena, who lived on the outskirts of San Diego at the time, and after meeting her was convinced she was perfect.

The friend told the Mirror: “He chose Helena because she had a latino background but she was also a US citizen and had quite fair skin. 

 “He liked her because she was very attractive and seemed stable and intelligent. She was a nurse or medical assistant, which he also liked. 

“She was around 5ft 4ins, slim, aged around 30 and had long, dark, straight hair. He said she was strait-laced, almost a girl next door type. 

“There were no dramas with her. She knew what she had to do and got on with it.” 

Despite Jacko’s careful selection over the surrogate mum, little of her genetic attributes will have been passed on to Blanket. Dr Schmidt, who is bound by confidentiality rules but can talk in general terms, said: “The surrogate is the carrier of the baby. The biological mom is the egg donor. 

“The surrogate has no connection to the child. It’s not their kid. On the birth certificate you can say whoever you want. That’s why you hire anattorney.  The birth certificate can say Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse but there might not be any genetic relationship to the child.” 

While Jacko was keen for Helena to be well looked after, the friend said “He kept his distance. She didn’t have a chaperone or any kind of handler watching her every move or anything like that.” 

The friend added that Helena agreed to the surrogacy because she needed the money to send back to her family in Mexico. 

“She was a lovely person and told Michael the money would help her family out,” said the friend. 

“Michael rang her a few times during the pregnancy to make sure everything was OK. 

“He had a picture of Helena which he showed to close friends. But he never discussed whether he’d ever tell Blanket about his mom.” 

Dr Maria Castillo is the medic who delivered Blanket and is named on the birth certificate. 

She recalled the delivery at Grossmont hospital was a success but says Jackson was not present. 

Dr Castillo said: “There was an attorney at the birth. He took the baby away immediately after delivery. I didn’t know who the baby belonged to when I delivered the child. 

“I was later told by a nurse at Grossmont that the woman had named the baby Prince Michael Jackson, and I said wow, I guess they like their rock stars. Maybe she likes Prince and Michael Jackson or something. 

“It never occurred to me it was Michael Jackson’s baby.” 

Dr Schmidt added: “Michael Jackson wasn’t at the delivery but in order to get that kid out of the hospital there has to be a court order in place.” 

It is believed the attorney then whisked the baby up to the star’s Neverland ranch. 

The friend said: “Michael was thrilled. He was so excited and said Blanket was a good-looking kid. He had nurses and a nanny at the ranch to make sure the baby was cared for properly. 

“But he was also a hands-on dad and didn’t mind changing diapers himself.” 

TV producer Gary Pudney recalls that just days later, Jackson proudly introduced him to Blanket. 

Pudney said: “Michael told me, ‘I have something to show you, Gary.’ 

“And he went in the back of the trailer into the little bedroom and brought out this little blanket that had something in it. And it was the baby.” 

He added that Jackson never told him who Blanket’s mother was and he never asked. 

Blanket was introduced to the world aged 11 months in Germany – immediately at the centre of a media storm after his superstar father dangled him perilously over a balcony rail at a hotel. 

Over the years Jackson couldn’t keep his story straight about Helena’s identity.  

He told Martin Bashir in the controversial 2003 documentary Living with Michael Jackson: “We have an agreement that we can’t talk about. 

We have a contractual agreement, who she is and everything, that’s how we worked that out.” 

Bashir asked if it was someone Jackson had had a relationship and the singer replied: “Yes.” 

But in the same documentary Jackson completely contradicted himself, saying. “I used a surrogate mom, my own sperm cells. She doesn’t know me, I don’t know her.” 

With his older brother and sister, Blanket, at least for now, is in the custody of Jackson’s mother Katherine, just as his father wanted. 

Even if Blanket’s surrogate mother or the egg donor were to come forward, legal experts say they would almost certainly have no claim to him.

Michael Jackson exclusive: Blanket Jackson's surrogate mother is a Mexican nurse named Helena - mirror.co.uk