DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A unique memorial service set for 5-year-old Garrett Matthias of central Iowa is matched only by the one-of-a-kind obituary the preschooler had a hand in authoring and that is now garnering national attention.
Garrett, of Van Meter, died July 6 of a rare cancer that attacked his temporal bone and cranial nerve.

His obituary mentions the painful treatments he endured, but it’s his funny take on life and death that’s getting noticed. It notes his likes: Playing with his sister, his blue bunny, thrash metal music. And his dislikes: Pants and dirty stupid cancer.
The obit closes with his last message, “See ya’ later, suckas! -The Great Garrett Underpants.”

Garrett’s memorial service on Saturday will include some of his last requests — like five bouncy houses. Also planned are snow cones, fireworks and a local archer who will shoot a flaming arrow onto a small boat carrying Garrett’s ashes into a neighbor’s pond.