A day after his passing, David Cassidy‘s family members say that he will not have a burial.
Instead, the legendary actor and singer will be cremated and honored at a private memorial, with the possibility of a public memorial for his fans.
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Sources tell The Blast that the family is planning a private memorial after the holidays for close friends and relatives to attend in lieu of a burial. The private memorial will most likely go down in Los Angeles.
The family is reportedly considering a public memorial for the Partridge Family star, who passed away Tuesday at the age of 67, due to the outpouring of support from fans.
Cassidy was rushed to a Florida hospital last week as his health was worsening, TMZ reported. Sources told the outlet that he needed a liver transplant, and was also suffering from kidney failure. He was going in and out of consciousness at the time of the report.
“On behalf of the entire Cassidy family, it is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, our uncle, and our dear brother, David Cassidy,” his family told PEOPLE on Tuesday. “David died surrounded by those he loved, with joy in his heart and free from the pain that had gripped him for so long. Thank you for the abundance and support you have shown him these many years.”
In February 2017, Cassidy told PEOPLE he was diagnosed with dementia. He told the magazine that his late mother, actress Evelyn Ward, also struggled with the disease until her death at age 89 in December 2012. His grandfather also had dementia.
“I was in denial, but a part of me always knew this was coming,” Cassidy told PEOPLE at the time. He said of his mother’s struggles, “In the end, the only way I knew she recognized me is with one single tear that would drop from her eye every time I walked into the room. … I feared I would end up that way.”
Cassidy decided to stop touring to focus on his health and enjoy life.
Following his death, members of the Cassidy family have spoken out to share their sadness, love and thankfulness with fans of the former teenage heartthrob.
“Thank you everyone for your love,” Cassidy’s ex-wife, Sue Shifrin Cassidy, wrote on Twitter on Wednesday. “Never have I been part of a more beautiful loving experience. God was in that room tonight. Point him in the direction of….heaven. Happy Trails…” Sue and Cassidy were married from 1991 to 2016.
The television star’s younger brother, Shaun Cassidy, also paid tribute on Twitter by sharing a childhood story of the pair.
“When I was a little boy and my big brother would come to visit, the first call of business would be a punishing pillow fight,” Shaun recalled. “During the battle, he would regale me with hysterical stories of our father, often culminating in his taking a giant leap off my top bunk.”
“I tried to catch him of course. I always tried to catch him. But I never could,” he continued, remembering his brother. “Now, I will carry him, along with all of the funny/sad/extraordinary days we shared, none more filled with love than these last few at his side.”
Photo Credit: Getty / ABC Photo Archives
