Corey Haim Funeral

Funeral on for 'Lost Boy' Canadian actor Corey Haim

BY LINDA NGUYEN, CANWEST NEWS SERVICE
MARCH 16, 2010

TORONTO — Hundreds of people packed into a Toronto chapel Tuesday to say goodbye to Hollywood actor Corey Haim, who died last week in Los Angeles.

The 38-year-old Toronto native was found last Wednesday, unresponsive in his mother's apartment, and was later pronounced dead from an enlarged heart and pulmonary congestion. Haim was recently suffering from flu-like symptoms, and police suspect the former teen idol, who has been struggling with drug addiction for years may have had an overdose.

A coroner's report has yet to be released to determine if prescription drugs may have contributed to his sudden death.

Maytal Kotler, a second cousin of Haim's, described the service Tuesday as a "touching" affair.

"There was laughter, there was crying," she said, her eyes welling up with tears. "He was a good soul. A very fun, loving guy with a big heart."

Kotler said Haim's mother Judy, father Bernie, cousins and aunts were all in attendance.

Jennifer Matton didn't know Haim personally but drove nine hours from Philadelphia to stand outside the chapel to bid her teenage crush goodbye.

"He was just someone who fell on hard times," said Matton, an emergency room nurse. "That's what people need to remember."

Matton said she has been a fan of Haim's since she was 14 years old. "I never met him but I think coming here today will give me closure," she said.

Haim became an instant heartthrob in the 1980s after rocketing to fame after his role in the cult classic, the Lost Boys.

He also starred in films such as License to Drive, Lucas and more recently, the Two Coreys, a reality show about his lifelong friendship with frequent co-star Corey Feldman. Feldman issued a statement prior to the service that he was not going to attend out of respect for the family.

"You (should) also know the only reason I am truly not there is out of respect for your mother and her wishes to minimize the media attention as much as possible," he wrote in a letter to Haim on his blog Tuesday. "I want your family to have a calm peaceful day. Hopefully we will not see one shot of the funeral on the news. Just know I am at home today projecting positive energy for you and your passing."

Tuesday's ceremony was paid for with donations by Haim's friends, fans and the chapel despite earlier reports that the City of Toronto was going to be footing the bill.

Haim was buried in a cemetery north of Toronto following the service.

A public memorial is being planned in Los Angeles in the coming days. Details have yet to be released.

Meanwhile, prosecutors in California announced last week that they were investigating a possible link between Haim and an illegal prescription drug ring.

State Attorney General Jerry Brown's office said an unauthorized prescription under Haim's name was found during an ongoing investigation of bogus prescription drug forms ordered from a San Diego supplier.

linnguyen@canwest.com

© Copyright (c) Canwest News Service

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