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The ashes of American author Hunter S Thompson may be blasted from a cannon, in accordance with his dying wishes, his family has said.

Thompson, 67, dubbed the "gonzo journalist", said several times that he wanted an artillery send-off for his remains.


Thompson 'had planned his suicide'
Family and friends are now trying to fulfil his wish.

"If that's what he wanted, we'll see if we can pull it off," said historian Douglas Brinkley, a friend of Thompson's and now the family's spokesman.

Thompson, with a penchant for drugs, guns and flame-thrower prose, died earlier this week after shooting himself with a shotgun at his Aspen-area home.

"There's no question, I'm sure that's what he would want," said Mike Cleverly, a longtime friend and neighbour. "Hunter truly loved that kind of thing."

Members of Thompson's family said the writer discussed committing suicide at least 10 years before he took his life.

"I've known for many, many years that this is how Hunter would go," Juan Thompson told the Rocky Mountain News today.

Mr Brinkley added Thompson did not take his life "in a moment of haste or anger or despondency" but probably planned his suicide well in advance because of declining health.

The author of books including "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" was in pain from a host of problems that included a broken leg and a hip replacement.

"I think he made a conscious decision that he had an incredible run of 67 years, lived the way he wanted to, and wasn't going to suffer the indignities of old age," Mr Brinkley said.