TORONTO - Former teen heartthrob Corey Haim will be laid to rest Tuesday with a private funeral service in Toronto, but a public celebration of the troubled actor's legacy will be held next month in Los Angeles, says famous friend Corey Feldman.
Feldman urged the media to respect the family's privacy as they honour Haim at a "small private affair" in Canada, noting that he will not attend due to the family's "strong religious beliefs and need for privacy."
"Understanding the recent media attention and to be respectful of the family's wishes I have decided not to attend," Feldman said Monday in a release.
"Instead I will remain in Los Angeles quietly mourning and planning his memorial. As a sign of respect I am asking the media to honour Corey Haim by making the same choice."
A Jewish service was set to take place at Steeles Memorial Chapel, which is helping to defray the costs of the service. An administrator there declined to elaborate on what assistance was being provided.
"We're here to help the family and do whatever we can for them," said Marla Stewart.
"That's what we do, we're known for that."
Haim died last Wednesday in Burbank, Calif., with an enlarged heart, pulmonary congestion and water in his lungs. He was 38.
The Toronto-born actor rose to stardom in a string of '80s teen films including "Lucas" and "The Lost Boys," but battled drug addiction later in life and suffered financial woes that included his filing for bankruptcy in 1997.
In the days after his death, a fund was set up to help his family shoulder the cost of transporting Haim's body to Canada. Donations for his family were solicited through his website.
Stewart disputed reports that the City of Toronto would help cover Haim's funeral expenses.
"I don't know where the press got the notion that the city would be paying for his funeral, that's absolutely not true," she said.
The city released a statement Monday also saying it has "no involvement" in paying for Haim's funeral.
The city notes that while it does cover funeral costs for indigent people, an evaluation of the person's estate is done before any financial assistance is provided.
Feldman, who most recently co-starred with Haim in the short-lived reality series "The Two Coreys," said he plans to hold a public memorial for his "best friend" in April.
"At that time, the media will be invited to honour and celebrate the legacy he has left behind, along with friends, fans and the rest of the Hollywood community," he said.
Haim's mother Judy, meanwhile, has been inundated by media requests and is not ready to speak publicly, said Pam Miller, who works at Haim's talent agency in Seattle, Wash.
"She's just trying to make it day-to-day right now and get through," said Miller, a submissions manager at Sterling Talent Agency Inc.
"The press has stalked her at her home. Now she just wants to lay her son to rest."
Miller said she spoke to Haim almost daily and he was excited about the possibility of directing his first movie. She said he also dreamed of teaming up with Feldman for another feature film.
"We had a lot of long talks and I know he was doing well and wanting to head in the right direction," said Miller. "It's sad."
