LOS ANGELES?The ?Thriller? for all time who battled insomnia and begged for sedatives in his final days may be laid to eternal rest in Neverland.

Michael Jackson?s body will make a poignant final journey to Neverland Ranch, fueling speculation that the sprawling fantasy retreat could become a permanent shrine and resting place for the tragic pop icon.

A 30-car motorcade reportedly plans to escort the body on Thursday to the King of Pop?s 1,050-hectare estate, a monument to Jackson?s obsession with childhood that once included a fairground and a private zoo.

CNN and the celebrity news website TMZ.com on Tuesday said the Jackson family planned a public viewing on Friday?which could draw a crush of fans to the isolated ranch north of Los Angeles.

Friday?s public viewing could be an indication that the Jackson family has permanent plans for Neverland, where a flurry of vehicles, heavy construction equipment and workers were spotted on Tuesday.

These included a dozen vehicles, including a tractor, a cement mixer and a backhoe. One bore a phone number that rang at a custom ironworks company. Gardeners and police were spotted on the grounds.

Some fans say the star should be buried at the ranch and want it to be transformed into a shrine similar to Elvis Presley?s Graceland.

Fantasy land to crime scene

Neverland was named after the fantasy island of Peter Pan, Jackson?s inspiration who refused to grow up.

But the estate fell into disrepair after becoming an alleged crime scene in Jackson?s 2005 trial on child molestation charges.

Jackson vacated the property following his acquittal and never lived there again.

The estate was reportedly on the verge of foreclosure before Jackson?s death as his extravagant lifestyle and mounting personal and legal problems took their toll on his finances.

The long-term fate of Neverland has been one of the myriad legal issues arising from Jackson?s sudden death last week at age 50.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that Jackson drafted a will in 2002 that divided his estate between his mother, his three children and one or more charities.

Half-hot, half-cold

Jackson was so distraught over persistent insomnia in recent months that he pleaded for a powerful sedative despite warnings it could be harmful, says a nutritionist who was working with the singer as he prepared his comeback bid.

Cherilyn Lee, a registered nurse whose specialty includes nutritional counseling, said on Tuesday that she repeatedly rejected his demands for the drug, Diprivan, which is given intravenously.

But a frantic phone call she received from a member of Jackson?s staff four days before his death made her fear that he somehow obtained Diprivan or another drug to induce sleep, Lee said.

?He called and was very frantic and said, ?Michael needs to see you right away.? I said, ?What?s wrong?? And I could hear Michael in the background ..., ?One side of my body is hot, it?s hot, and one side of my body is cold. It?s very cold,?? she said.

?I said, ?Tell him he needs to go to the hospital. I don?t know what?s going on, but he needs to go to the hospital ... right away.?

?He was crying out?

?At that point, I knew that somebody had given him something that hit the central nervous system,? Lee said. ?He was in trouble Sunday and he was crying out.?

Jackson did not go to the hospital. He died June 25 after suffering cardiac arrest, his family said.

Autopsies have been conducted, but an official cause of death is not expected for several weeks.

?I don?t know what happened there. The only thing I can say is he was adamant about this drug,? Lee said.

Following Jackson?s death, allegations emerged that he had been consuming painkillers, sedatives and antidepressants.

But Lee said she encountered a man tortured by sleep deprivation and one who expressed opposition to recreational drug use.

Not to get high

?He wasn?t looking to get high or feel good and sedated from drugs,? Lee said. ?This was a person who was not on drugs. This was a person who was seeking help, desperately, to get some sleep, to get some rest.?

Jackson was rehearsing hard for what would have been his big comeback?his ?This Is It? tour, a series of performances that would have strained his aging dancer?s body.

?The Incredible Hulk? star Lou Ferrigno, who?s been working out with Jackson for the past several months, said Jackson was focused on health.

?When he was with me, he wasn?t different. He wasn?t stoned. He wasn?t high. He wasn?t being aloof or speedy. Never talked about drugs,? Ferrigno said. ?I?ve never seen him take drugs. He was always talking about nutrition.?

Several months ago, Jackson had begun badgering her about Diprivan, also known as Propofol, Lee said.

It is an intravenous anesthetic drug widely used in operating rooms to induce unconsciousness. It is generally given through an intravenous needle in the hand.

Patients given Propofol take less time to regain consciousness than those administered certain other drugs, and they report waking up more clear-headed and refreshed, said University of Chicago psychopharmacologist James Zacny.

Overdose stops breathing

It has also been implicated in drug abuse, with people using it to ?chill out? or to commit suicide, Zacny said. Accidental deaths linked to abuse have been reported.

The powerful drug has a very narrow therapeutic window, meaning it doesn?t take doses much larger than the medically recommended amount to stop a person?s breathing.

An overdose that stops breathing can result in a buildup of carbon dioxide, causing the heart to beat erratically and leading to cardiac arrest, said Dr. John Dombrowski, a member of the board of directors of the American Society of Anesthesiologists.

In recent months, Lee said, Jackson waved away her warnings about it. ?I had an IV and when it hit my vein, I was sleeping. That?s what I want,? Lee said Jackson told her.

Nurse warned Jacko

?I said, ?Michael, the only problem with you taking this medication??and I had a chill in my body and tears in my eyes three months ago??the only problem is you?re going to take it and you?re not going to wake up,?? she recalled.

According to Lee, Jackson said it had been given to him before but he didn?t want to discuss the circumstances or identify the doctor involved.

?He said, ?I don?t like drugs. I don?t want any drugs. My doctor told me this is a safe medicine,?? Lee said. The next day, she said she brought a copy of the Physician?s Desk Reference to show him the section on Diprivan.

?He said, ?No, my doctor said it?s safe. It works quick and it?s safe as long as somebody?s here to monitor me and wake me up. It?s going to be OK,?? Lee said.