Photo by Adam Brimer // Buy this photo
Photo by Adam Brimer
Haley Rose, left, and Jesus Cardosa comfort one another during the memorial service marking the one year anniversary of the death of actor Brad Renfro Thursday at Red House Cemetery in Blaine, Tennessee.
It was a moment that friends and family felt Brad Renfro could've appreciated.
While a small crowd that included his mother, grandmother, stepfather, little sister, cousins, friends and fans huddled around Renfro's grave in 20-degree weather on Thursday, Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" blasted from a car stereo parked in the graveyard.
"Acting was his job, but his No. 1 thing was music," said Angel Olsen, Renfro's mother. Renfro's gravestone has a guitar engraved on it.
The Knoxville-born actor died at age 25 of a heroin overdose at his home in Los Angeles on Jan. 15, 2008. Olsen organized a short graveside memorial at Red House Cemetery in Blaine to commemorate the date of her son's death.
Friends and family laughed in the bitterly cold wind, sharing stories of a mischievous child and a generous adult.
Lifelong friend Mike Franklin recalled his friend's openness.
"We'd be walking on the street on a cold day like this, he'd see a guy down on the sidewalk, and he'd get down in the cold with him and pray with him and then go buy the guy a bottle of gin and come back and pray with him," Franklin said.
Fan Patrick Broyles drove 258 miles from Winston-Salem, N.C., to be part of the memorial.
"I just thought he was an incredible actor," said Broyles. "I wanted to be here to show support to his family."
Before the memorial, Olsen said she keeps in regular contact with Renfro's young son and the boy's Japanese mother, but she kept visits secret for the boy's protection.
Olsen said Brad would've enjoyed family and friends weathering the cold for him: "He would've loved this attention."
Wayne Bledsoe may be reached at 865-342-6444.
© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Comments » 5
lisa_lisa1111 writes:
He was a rare soul...and will never be forgotten. I pray that his death was a wake up call for others.
Etacovda_00 writes:
Great capture/picture by Adam Brimer
Ladytiffknee writes:
Always said when a life is lost due to substance abuse.
EducateNow writes:
Glad to hear the car stereo was parked in the graveyard. Wonder where the rest of the car was?
pat71257 writes:
It was an emotional experience to be at Brad's memorial as his fan. Being there for his family and paying my respects to Brad were why I came. He will be remembered and respected for his kindness and his talent. His family was most appreciative for those who attended. I shall always treasure their kind words and regret never having known Brad.
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