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.
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