Shain Gandee A Christian 'Now in Heaven,' Mom Says of 'Buckwild' Star
"Buckwild" star Shain Gandee was laid to rest yesterday, but his mother, Loretta, told those at his funeral that she knew exactly where her son actually was: heaven. Loretta explained that her son was a baptized Christian who had a strong faith in God and knew where he was going when he died.
"I know where Shain is. He said about a month ago, 'I know when I die I'm going to heaven,'" Loretta told the hundreds gathered for Shain's funeral yesterday. She then sang a hymn as a form of prayer during the service.
"This life will hand you a lot of things and call it pleasure, but there is nothing that brings greater joy to a person's heart than serving the Lord. You may think at this point, you're having fun, but those days will pass," Rev. Randy Campbell warned the young crowd.
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Gandee's death came as a shock to family, friends, and fans of the MTV reality series "Buckwild." He, his uncle David, and a friend were all found dead in an SUV that had become buried in mud. Autopsies showed that all three men died of carbon monoxide poisoning, which most likely gathered because the tailpipe was submerged in mud.
"Buckwild" showed the lives of several West Virginia teens as they experience life in the countryside. Representatives for the series have not said whether they will continue filming in the wake of Gandee's death.
Family, friends, and fans all wore camouflage or neon-colored "Gandee Candy" t-shirts to the funeral in honor of Gandee. As his family explained, he didn't like to dress up and would have been pleased by the casual wear of the crowd.
"He probably would walk in there going, 'BUCKWILD!'" friend Ricky Sater told the Associated Press. "I try to keep my emotions balled up, but I started breaking down about six hours [after hearing the news of Gandee's death]."
