"Buckwild" TV producers paying for Shain Gandee's funeral

The two production companies behind the MTV reality show "Buckwild" have offered to pay for all of Shain Gandee's funeral expenses, according to TMZ.

Parallel Entertainment CEO J.P. Williams, who produces the show with Zoo Productions, told TMZ, "Shain was a great kid with a big heart who had endless love for his mom and dad," adding, "I am from West Virginia and this show reminded me of how I grew up."

A public service for Gandee will be held on Sunday.

Gandee's cousin, Ashley Gandee, had also organized a memorial "mud run" (an off-road trucking event) to ease the financial burden on the family in the wake of the "Buckwild" star's death.

"I know the strain they are going through," she told TMZ. "It's hard to provide a proper burial. It's already tough with the loss of family members...expenses are tough as well."

As for the donation websites that have been raising money to help pay for the funeral, TMZ was told that money will now go toward expenses incurred by Gandee's family during the recovery effort. And any remaining money will go towards the funeral of the other two men that were also killed, including Gandee's uncle.

As reported, the 21-year-old reality TV cast member was found dead Monday inside his truck, which had stalled and become submerged in mud while Gandee and two others went off-roading. Gandee and the two other men died from carbon monoxide poisoning. Production on the second season of "Buckwild' has also been put on hold.