ANNA NICOLE SMITH - STERN WILL READ ANNA NICOLE'S LETTER TO SON AT FUNERAL

ANNA NICOLE SMITH's companion HOWARD K. STERN plans to read the touching letter his late partner wrote for her son DANIEL's funeral last year (06) when the tragic model is laid to rest tomorrow (02MAR07). Three weeks after Smith lost her life in Florida, and following a lengthy battle for the custody of her remains, Anna Nicole will be buried next to her son Daniel at the Lakeview Memorial Gardens + Mausoleums on Nassau tomorrow morning. And Stern feels it will be fitting to read the letter Smith dedicated to her son at his funeral last September (06). The touching note reads, "My dearest son Daniel, you were my rock; you were the only one who could keep me solid. Why God took you away from me I do not now understand. Perhaps some day I will. "I wish he would have taken me instead. Now you're gone and I don't know how Mommy's gonna make it without you. I will come home to you. Your mother, always and forever." Meanwhile, Stern is forging a new friendship with the photographer who is battling him for paternity of Anna Nicole's baby daughter - after the two feuding fathers came to an agreement about funeral guests. Stern reveals LARRY BIRKHEAD gave him part of his allocation of guests at the funeral. He says, "He has been co-operative with me in allowing me to use some of the people that he would have been allocated... For that I'm grateful."