Grace Rwaramba was one of Michael Jackson's closest companions for most of the singer's last 17 years. Originally hired as Michael's secretary, Rwaramba became nanny to his children when Prince Michael was born in 1997. She raised Prince Michael, Paris and Prince Michael II and was reportedly the central maternal figure in their lives. In 2008, Michael abruptly fired Rwaramba. While she never publicly explained her termination, she denied media reports that she routinely had to pump Michael's stomach when he had ingested drugs. A month after Michael's death, Katherine Jackson hired her again as the children's nanny, and Rwaramba has reportedly resumed her former duties.
The Michael Jackson Legacy: Where Are They Now?
A year after Michael Jackson's death at 50, TIME revisits the pop star's universe