I think the news about Cory Monteith’s passing over the weekend shocked nearly everyone. Cory had recently completed a 30-day rehab treatment, and his girlfriend Lea Michele had stayed by his side throughout. Post-rehab, Lea and Cory seemed stronger than ever, and I hoped/believed that they were approaching his sobriety together, that they were a team, that Lea was fully committed to loving this troubled young man with very private demons. I saw that some of you were discussing the rumors that Lea and Cory had even become engaged – I don’t know if that’s for real or what. I do know that Lea is probably really devastated right now, to the point where her people are trying to shelter her from a lot of media coverage:
Lea Michele is in mourning. Following the shocking news that her boyfriend and Glee costar Cory Monteith died at the age of 31 on Saturday, July 13, the star is grappling privately with the loss.
The 26-year-old actress has not released a statement, but her rep tells Us Weekly in a statement, “We ask that everyone kindly respect Lea’s privacy during this devastating time. Thank you.”
Michele had stood by Monteith’s side during his decision to enter rehab for substance addiction on March 31 of this year. “I love and support Cory and will stand by him through this,” she in a statement at the time. “I am grateful and proud he made this decision.”
The FOX star, who dated Monteith for a year, was recently enjoying a girls weekend at Las Ventanas in Cabo, Mexico, with her girlfriend, Jennifer Cohen. “Lea seemed very happy and relaxed,” an insider told Us about her getaway, which she arrived home from on Monday, July 8. “It definitely seemed like a fun trip for her.”
For his part, Monteith, a Canada native, was visiting his mom in the Vancouver area at the time of his death. On Saturday, July 13, police announced during a press conference that the actor was pronounced dead on the scene in his hotel room at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel in Vancouver. Foul play is not suspected and the coroner is investigating the cause of death.
“We are so saddened to confirm that the reports on the death of Cory Monteith are accurate,” the actor’s rep said in a statement to Us Weekly shortly after news broke of the tragedy. “We are in shock and mourning this tragic loss.”
The theory is that Lea’s “girls’ weekend” was actually a bachelorette party and that Lea and Cory were about to marry. Again, I don’t know if that’s true. My gut is telling me that Lea just wanted to go on a vacation with her girlfriends to regroup and spend some of her downtime with her female friends.
People Magazine also had a story about how Cory spent his last days in Vancouver:
Two days before he was found dead, Cory Monteith enjoyed “a quiet night with a lot of laughing” with one of his first mentors, Maureen Webb.
“He looked so good, so healthy,” Webb, the co-founder of Project Limelight Society, a Vancouver charity close to the actor’s heart, tells PEOPLE. “I hadn’t seen him look that good in a long time.”
Joined by Monteith’s manager Elena Kirschner, the trio dined at East of Main, a restaurant that supports the organization. “We ate a lot of food,” recalls Webb, noting no one drank alcohol. “We drank the rhubarb lemonade.”
Monteith initiated the dinner, telling Webb he wanted to get more involved the non-profit arts program for children that he had supported since its 2011 launch.
“I told him, ‘I remember everything we talked about when we first talked about this project. Now it’s happening.’ His face just lit up. He was in great spirits.”
Two days later, on Saturday, the 31-year-old Glee star’s body was discovered in his hotel room. No cause of death has been determined but police have ruled out foul play.
Ugh. God, this is so sad. This poor guy. His poor family. Poor Lea. Rest in peace, man.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.
I don’t know if it’s pregnancy hormones or what but I am soo incredibly sad about this. I really love Glee and I thought Cory and Lea were such a cute couple.
I feel the same way. Since I got pregnant, all of my emotions are so much more intense. I just want to give his family and Lea a big hug.
God, I thought I was the only one… I was starting to feel like a weirdo. I’ve never even seen Glee, & knew absolutely nothing about him…
But I can’t explain it… This has just made my heart ache (like it ‘clenches’ everytime I see something about it), & I have no idea why it’s affecting me so strongly. Celebrity death stories are always sad, but this…
Who knows… This may sound all ‘mystical’ or whatever, but maybe he was just one of those people who had an especially strong ‘life energy’ (& a very positive one, by the sound of it)… Strong enough that even we (who weren’t personally connected to him) can still feel the loss of it.
It’s extremely sad. They seemed like a good couple, and I like how supportive they were of each other.
Re: pregnancy hormones: I cried at every thing while pregnant – happy or sad, my emotions were extremely intense. Three weeks post-delivery, and I still cry at very minor happy things.
I wanted to adopt Britney Spears and take care of her when I was pregnant…and that was only 16 years ago!
I’m not pregnant and feel that way! Normally celebrity deaths are sad, but not so emotionally upsetting to me. I didn’t know him. I do watch the show with my son, but its not my favorite. I don’t know why I’m so torn by his passing. I think it’s because he sounded like such an awesome guy, who was ready to get help when he needed it, sounded wise and kind and was just…..good.
ditto. I’m pregnant too and I can’t stop being sad about this. I was such a debbie downer yesterday. Feel so bad for the people that knew and loved him.
I don’t like glee and I’m not pregnant. This is just an exceptionally sad thing. A young, talented and good person is gone. It sucks. This is going to sound awful but all I wanted to do when I heard is slap Lohan across the face and say GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER. drugs kill. It’s not an f’ing joke.
I’m not pregnant but I’ve been crying ever since I found out. This is just so sad and seems incredibly unfair. This is probably stupid but I keep thinking about what Finn said to Reachel on Glee about how they were endgame and how now that”s just never gonna happen, not in fiction, not in RL. :'(
I’m dealing with postpartum hormones and I am extremely sad over this. I was unable to sleep the night of the 13th because I was so shocked and sad. I feel so badly for Lea Michele. I can’t imagine the pain she is in right now. It goes without saying his family and friends are in pain as well, but I just can’t stop thinking about that poor girl.
I would also like to say, though this is more than likely drug related, let’s hold off on assuming so until the autopsy. Remember Brittany Murphy? Everyone was so sure she died of a drug overdose and it turned out she passed of untreated pneumonia. Let’s keep the conjecture to a minimum until the autopsy.
I’m neither pregnant or hormonal at this moment, and still…this slayed me. I was lucky to visit the set with my kids recently and he was so kind, funny, self deprecating. They all were. Their Glee
Family, especially Lea, must be reeling. They were all *so kind* to my kids, taking pics and joking around. Good bunch, horrific news.
I’ve been sad since I heard Saturday night when it broke at 10:30pst, right after Zimmerman verdict.
Saddest is it was probably just a temporary relapse, and because he was clean his body couldn’t hack it.
You’re not alone. Anytime I see Cory’s name in the news, I have a sudden flash to my favorite scene from Glee when Finn has just gotten into a fight with Brody and says, “Stay away from my future wife!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YkHd_TipzA
Tragic all around. Hope everyone respects Lea’s (and Cory’s family) request for privacy.
+ 1
+1
This has really bothered me. It seems so unreal and beyond sad. I can’t even imagine what his loved ones might be feeling. It’s heartbreaking and so tragic. I hope that his family and Lea can get the privacy they deserve during this time. I’m not a glee fan, but he was way to young and it’s hard for anyone to wrap their heads around this. I wish them peace and support during this extremely difficult time.
This is just so sad. I really feel for Lea she really stuck by him and they both seemed so happy together. I thought of her right away she would be devastated I hope the press allows her to grieve. It shocked us I can only imagine how much worse it was for his family and friends. RIP Cory.
I feel so sad for his family and friends, but also for Cory: he was so young and has to miss out to so much in life.
I am not a Glee fan, but I loved seeing pictures of him and Lea and feel so sad for her. I can only imagine what she must be going through right now.. it kinda breaks my heart.
This is just so sad, he’s one of those people you almost feel like you know, because he was just so sweet and grounded. I hope his loved ones can grieve in privacy, I send all my condolences
He just seemed so preppy, totally the last person who’d OD.
Although some say it was a suicide.
Your comment about he’s so preppy you would not think he did drugs. Well that is such a misinformed comment. Substance abuse comes in all colors, income brackets, preppy, grunge, mothers, fathers, children etc. There is no stereo typical drug user. My Accountant from a top CPA firm became addicted to heroin.
Just a thought….since Cory had just been in Rehab he was possibly clean and had all drugs cleared out of his system for several weeks. He goes out with friends and overloads on what he used to take, resulting in a fatal overdose.
At any rate very sad. He was so talented and seemed like a kind young man.
Sadly, I think you’ll be right about this – we just don’t appreciate the fragility of the human body, I think.
Gosh, this is beyond sad. My heart aches for Cory, Lea, his family, friends and fans. All my love to all xxxx
Yeah, that’s what I was thinking as well. Obviously, it’s sad regardless, but that was one of my earliest thoughts on what happened.
Sadly, this is usually how it happens. When you are addicted and using daily your body builds a tolerance which is why when you here people talk about how many pills per day or how often they shoot up, it sounds incredible and you wonder how they are still alive. But when you get clean and then relapse you don’t know how much your body can tolerate and this is often how people die from drugs. This is tragic and won’t be surprised if its another case of deadly combination of prescription drugs.
I feel so dumb because who the heck am I, but reading all this is just so heartbreaking and makes me a little weepy. Hearing about how he seemed to be doing well post rehab and was hopeful, getting involved in this project, so well-likes, …it’s all so awful.
A little over two years ago, I lost a cousin to an overdose. He’d had problems for a few years, but he had gotten a job with a family friend shortly before and that friend described him as hopeful also and feeling good about life. Maybe he thought he could do it just once more and keep it under control.
I’m not saying that’s what happened with Cory, no one knows yet. But he and Lea seemed good for each other and I hope she has all the support she needs. There was a picture going around on tumblr in association with this of a military wife at her husbands casket and idk if people were mistaking her for Lea or what, but it felt uncomfortable to see such a private moment raw moment of grief. Hope people listen and leave her alone.
Does anyone know if Glee had started filming yet? Not that it really matters, I was just wondering.
I believe it was supposed to start in literally a week from now: http://www.vulture.com/2013/07/cory-monteith-glee-future.html
Horrible all around. Can’t imagine how Lea must feel right now.
I feel bad for Lea, but I suspect it will come out soon that they had broken up at the end of June.
Even if they did I don’t think that really matters. They still loved each other and had been together for quite a long time. This will be an incredibly difficult time for her either way.
I think it does make a difference. Yes, it’s very sad either way, but much more so if they were still planning a future together.
It’s possible they had broken up recently but going against that theory is the fact that the tabloids managed to snap a shot of Cory’s silver Ranger Rover parked at Lea’s house yesterday. Not exactly the same thing as leaving a few old Tshirts and some CD’s behind after a breakup.
Ugh, that just breaks my heart. 🙁
It doesn’t matter, they would still be close. Plus when Lea wants privacy, she means she doesn’t want people like you trying to stir up breakup rumors. I say that everyone needs to stop guessing what killed him and stop guessing about their relationship and just wait until the facts come out.
Do you really think that she’s reading Celebitchy today? She doesn’t care what people like me or you write in the comments on an internet gossip site. She’s asking the press to stay away from her home and not stalk her in public.
Doesnt give you permission to be a douchenasty d*ck just because you dont think she or people close to her will ever see your crappy comment. Think!
Cory really seemed to be such a kind and good guy, it’s terrible to think of how much his family and friends must be feeling. Of course Lea will be devasted regardless of whether they were still together, but I don’t fully understand why people are attacking other posters that express the opinion that they may have split. I don’t believe the suggestion is given with bad intentions, but rather by looking at the timeline of events it seems likely. Celebitchy has been a place where we can discuss our thoughts openly and if others are able to speculate that Cory and Lea were engaged or that she went on a bachelorette weekend, why is the other possibility not allowed to be voiced.
Think about what you are saying, @break. Let’s just go with your theory that they broke up in June, which I don’t believe. That is only weeks ago. Do you think she wouldn’t feel extreme GUILT and wonder if somehow his death was related to their breakup…even though she could not have prevented it? The fact is, she loved him, and she will miss him.
If you doubt this, just read some articles where Michelle Williams talks about Heath Ledger. Love doesn’t just disappear because you are not together.
I feel bad for her. A friend of mine experienced the death of a boyfriend a few years ago. She still struggles with her loss.
The fact that so many of us didn’t know him, hadn’t even met him and we feel like this just shows what a great guy he was.
The main rule of sobriety is you have to leave behind people who saw you do drugs, who do drugs themselves or people who will encourage you to slide back into bad behavior. It appears he didn’t “clean house.” TMZ has photos of him with some enabling friends holding beers. It only takes one thing to start the backslide.
There are zero rules in sobriety about people who “saw” you do drugs. That’s ridiculous.
Yes you distance yourself from other people who are actively using but people who “saw” you do drugs?!!?? That’s just stupid (and ridiculous).
Poor Lea. The paps are already staking out her and Cory’s house too, which is just so wrong. I hope she is able to have some privacy.
I thought it was just rumors, but it does sound like they probably were planning on getting married. She posted a photo with him and her Bff a week before she went with a girlfriend to Mexico and he went back to his hometown to hang with some old friends and family. And both trips were brief and around the same time…that sounds like a bachelor and bachelorette party to me or a really strong coincidence.
I’m also still disgusted by E!’s crass coverage: “Glee’s Star’s Autopsy on Fast Track Due to Public Interest.” So icky. There have been a lot of icky ways E! has handled death and the horrible thing where the head guy sent out that tweet about Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift that was textbook slutshaming…Just awful. I don’t think I’ll keep visiting their site.
Anyway, just so sad.
I don’t like her and I think she’s a nasty person but I can’t help but feel terrible for what she must be going through. 🙁
I cant help but think that she will somehow blame herself for ‘failing’ to save/help him, for being away when this happened…poor girl.
This, exactly. I can’t begin to imagine her pain. I think she was a supportive partner that did all she could. I also think he was really trying his best to fight his addictions. Sometimes bad stuff just happens and it is nobody’s fault. So, so, sad.
I don’t even watch Glee and I’m pretty bummed out about this. I think he has one of those faces where he seems like an ordinary guy, so people feel connected to him. IDK. Thoughts are with his family.
Judging from the outpouring of celeb love on Twitter, he was well liked and respected in the industry, too.
Speaking of Twitter, did anyone else see Perez tweeting all that “If I died, I would hope people would celebrate my life, etc”? I thought his tweets were classless and tasteless.
Well Perez himself is classless and tasteless so it wouldn’t surprise me.
Agreed!
Good point, I agree ten-fold. He vomited out a string of like 6 tweets making it all about him, if he died, etc. Then got all mock-offended when people started calling it tacky.
Basically it was just gross, disrespectful behavior.
Perez is an asshole and becoming a father hasnt changed that.
Wow it is unreal that Perez could make this about himself – that is narcissism for you.
He can hope. I rather suspect if he died very few would bother to comment.
He may not have done any drugs w those friends. Maybe he took something to help him sleep at a dosage that was so high that it depressed his breathing too much. I dunno.,,it’s all speculation till we get more info.
Let’s really respect her privacy. That means no posting “first photos” of her after Monteith’s death, no posting photos from the funeral, and if there are posted photos, no clicking or commenting on them. It’s one thing if she makes a public statement, but no candids. If there is no demand for the photos the paparazzi might actually leave her alone a bit. I know it’s naive, but I always feel really uncomfortable when I see photos of grieving loved ones. It feels like a true violation of their privacy.
Agreed. But it’s goin to happen regardless of our request….just hopefully not here.
Agree, agree, agree. Im actively not clicking on any links with photos I havent seen before, and will do so for some time. I saw in passing one where they showed a friend outside of her house and what was Cory’s car in her driveway (which i just found out from a commenter here) and wanted to throttle everyone who no doubt read and commented. Dont you get that that means paps are camping outside of her house, the f*cking day after he died? Jesus! Such parasites….
I agree, and I especially appreciate how you pointed out that our “clicks” make a difference in how and what is covered.
Didn’t know about his background or really get into his personal life, I just really enjoyed his charisma. It will be missed.
Poor Lea, i hope she and his family find some peace.
be strong Lea!!
I LOVED the first couple of seasons of glee, haven’t watch the last season, but this has hit me pretty hard…it’s weird. I’m sitting at my desk trying not to cry!!! Man my heart goes out to his family and all his loved ones. If I can feel so choked up and I only knew him as a character on TV I cannot FATHOM the loss that they’re feeling.
The discription of his last days above is so tame it’s heart breaking. He wanted to get more involved in non-profit causes.
Maybe if he was a hard core alcoholic the absence of alcohol in his system could have put him in cardiac arrest. Sad whatever the situation was.
I feel so bad for Lea, her heart must be broke. I love Glee, and Cory just personified it for me. I feel upset about this myself. My heart goes out to Lea and Cory’s family.
‘Probably’ really devastated??
I didn’t watch Glee but he seemed like a sweet guy who seemed to be into doing charitable work (Lainey’s write up). Desperately sad that it happened just as he had reached out for help 🙁
My heart just absolutely breaks for her. Poor poor thing.
He was the same age as my daughter. There are just no words. Only sadness.
This is so beyond sad… I am heartbroken for him, his family and Lea. This is beyond tragic. I wasn’t a Glee fan by any means, but any young person who dies, especially by such tragic means, is heartbreaking. RIP.
Cory is relatable and had a genuine sweetness. I. Have been crying off and on since yesterday morning~i only watched Glee a few times. Cory reminded me of my cousin who died of an OD after his Bachelor party the night before his wedding…very sweet and hard working with demons so powerful that nothing could diminish them. Our grandpa was so devastated that he died within the next month of a massive stroke. I used to be snotty and self righteous about addiction until it affected my family. I admired Cory’s honesty about his struggles, but he still seemed very fragile emotionally. Leah was very devoted to Cory, and she cannot blame herself. Please be kind with the comments, we have no clue whom is reading them. Be compassionate.
Sad!!!!!
He was too young…
This whole thing has been making me so sad. I haven’t watched Glee in forever and it wasn’t my favourite show, but I definitely burst into tears watching a clip from the show. So sad.
This is so sad. I hate the show Glee, but still. I guess sometimes if you’re that into substance abuse (since age 13?!) then maybe a 30 day rehab isn’t enough.
If we thought Gandolfini at 51 was too young, this is a real jolt. Only 31. Way way too soon. Thoughts are with his family and friends. RIP.
This whole thing just tears me up, it’s just so sad for all of them. When I think about their scenes together on Glee, it feels like we all watched how their romance started – there’s a realness to those scenes. And when they sung together – they were beautiful. I hate to think about how she has to go back onto the show without him – and as an actress, finish off his story line – without him. She will have to act in regard to his leaving. What a horrible thing to have to do. I’m kind of hoping, honestly, from a storyline point of view that they just gloss over it, like he just left, and her character doesn’t have to act in regard to it. Because watching her act out a scene when she has to react to him being gone is not something I want her to have to do, and I don’t think I could watch.
Beautifully stated, and I agree wholeheartedly.
Sad. I don’t know about his addiction or what is was to, but is it possible that he was clean yet his body had suffered some other health problems as a result? Perhaps cardiac issues? IDK, just sad to hear of a life ending so young.
About every pic of them together radiated happiness and joy. Both of them were entering into the primes of their lives- and sadly, his life is over way too soon. I so hope she doesn’t blame herself, regardless of a breakup or no. I hope his loved ones find some comfort soon.
I can’t believe how upset I got when I heard, there were a few tears and I remember hoping it wasn’t true. I’m a huge glee fan, I watched a few favorites yesterday but I kept thinking how nice a guy he seemed to be . It’s heartbreaking he’s gone
NO disrepect to Lea and their relationship, but what about his family, his mother, what’s she’s going through. Everyone is so focus on Lea.
Nikko, I understand what you are saying, but I think it is usually understood that people automatically feel grief and sadness for the family. Especially for parents who lose a child. It is those situations where there is a fiance(e) or boyfriend/girlfriend where people tend to single them out. They aren’t family, yet they were a big part of the departed’s life.
It is just all sad. A family loses a member, a friend is lost, and who knows, someone’s dream husband/father of her children. I wish them all peace and strength.
Agreeing with another poster here–the sympathy should first go to his family. Second, i think this relationship was more of a really best friend/dear friend thing than an actual bf/gf/fiance relationship. It was prob manufactured by pr/agents to further their careers and glee. I dont doubt they were close, but they look like good friends only.
They loved each other. People who lose a loved one need support, no matter the connection.
Now that it has been released Cory died of a drug overdose, can we please talk about more awareness and sympathy surrounding addiction as a disease? The commenters on here moralizing and grand-standing about “reserving judgement” about his possible death due to addiction were simply shaming him post-mortem–as if Cory DID die of an overdose, that would be shameful. F you, move on, and let’s respect his struggles and accept addiction as a serious problem that deserves real attention.
I am really glad that some people here feel as devastated as I do cos I couldn’t explain why I felt so bad he died.for some reason,maybe cos he is young,or I just don’t know,I v been feeling bad since he died.I feel it deep down in my heart.And it freaking hurts.
Am dreading watching glee now cos am behind and just about watching some season four episodes.
Well!What’s done is done now!we can only pray that those he left behind have the fortitude to bear the loss and dat the fact that he ODed doesn’t diminish his memory or his talent.
Poor Cory!
Just read on Huffington Post it was a lethal mixture of Alcohol and Heroin. Vancouver (where he is from, and where he died) has one of the worst drug problems in North America, so it’s no surprise he relapsed while back there. I cant get over how sad this all is :(.