Photo: George Burns/Harpo Studios

One thing Marie wants to clear up is the rumors about her son's sexuality. With the recent string of gay teen suicides in the news, some bloggers have speculated that Michael committed suicide because he was gay—a suggestion Marie says is simply not true.

"My son was not gay," Marie says. "He wanted to be married and have a family and travel all over the world. And it wouldn't matter if he was—I have a daughter who is gay, and it was my daughter who was offended by it."

Marie says her daughter Jessica wanted to clarify Michael's sexuality because she didn't like the implication that all gay people commit suicide. And while Marie's heart goes out to any gay teen who is struggling with bullying or thoughts of suicide, she says that wasn't the case with her son.