Devastated Lea Michele has released a statement following
the tragic death of her boyfriend Cory Monteith.
Lea's 31-year-old Glee co-star and long-term boyfriend was
found dead in his hotel room in Vancouver, Canada on Saturday.
A representative for the actress told People: 'We ask that
everyone kindly respect Lea's privacy during this devastating time.'
Cory had been in his luxury hotel room with friends on
Friday evening before heading out for the night. Lea, 26, is believed to have
been at home in Los Angeles for work.
'She is absolutely hysterical and completely inconsolable,'
a source told HollywoodLife.com. 'She is devastated beyond belief.'
A friend of the star was spotted leaving Lea's Los Angeles home on Sunday morning to meet
another friend with what appeared to be an overnight bag.
No cause of death has been confirmed at this point but there
was said to be no implications of foul play. Medical examiners will conduct an
autopsy on Monday and the results of the procedure are expected to be revealed
early this week.
Despite the process usually taking longer, a source from the
Vancouver Police Dept told E! Online that Cory's autopsy has been fast tracked
'due to intense public interest'.
The source added that the results of the autopsy and
toxicology tests are expected to be revealed in 'two or three days' time'.
Cory - who completed a stint of rehab in April for substance
addiction - was last pictured with Lea just last month.
Authorities refused to say if there was any connection
between Cory's voluntary stint in rehab and his untimely death, the Toronto
Star reported.
Meanwhile, Cory's stepmother Yvette Monteith, who lives in
New Brunswick on Canada's East Coast, paid tribute to her famous stepson.
Yvette, who is married to Cory's father Joe, told Celebuzz:
'He was a beautiful young man. He was loved by everybody.
'He was very talented and put himself in the spotlight
because that's where he always wanted to be and that is what he was always
interested in. He made everybody smile. That was Cory.'
Also paying tribute was his cousin Richard Monteith, who lay
white flowers outside the hotel where the actor died.
He was visibly emotional, but said little as he stood
outside the hotel, but told reporters he was 'decently close' with his cousin
and he had last seen him in April, when Cory brought Lea home to Vancouver to
visit the family.
Lea and Cory are thought to have dated for around two years,
with the actress and singer discussing her feelings for her co-star in an
interview in Marie Claire magazine earlier this year.
'I don't even remember a time when he wasn't my boyfriend.
No one knows me better than Cory,' Lea told the January issue of the magazine.
'No one knows what it's been like to go through this more
than he does. Feeling like you have that net underneath you allows you to jump
higher and go farther. He makes me feel like I can do anything.
'For the first time in my life, I feel really, really settled
and happy. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.'
Lea added in another interview in January 2012: 'Cory and I
say we’re like a two-for-one deal. I wouldn’t be here without him.'
Cory is said to have spent his last hours enjoying an
evening out with friends before he tragically passed away of unknown causes
while alone in a hotel room.
Authorities also declined to comment on the contents of the
room.
The 31-year-old - who is said to have been 'happy and
healthy' in recent months - was out in Vancouver before returning alone to his
Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel in the city.
It is believed that the actor had been dead for several
hours in his room before his body was found.
Cory, who checked into the hotel on July 6th, had been due
to check out of the luxury hotel on Saturday but when he failed to do so,
cleaning staff went to his room where they found his body.
Paramedics were called who declared him dead at the scene
shortly after noon. Police said there were no signs of foul play and said that
he had died alone.
Video footage has revealed the actor returning to his room
by himself in the early hours of Saturday morning after an evening out with
friends.
He wrote on his Twitter account last week that he was
listening to the upbeat song Paris by Friendly Fires 'basically on repeat.'
Recent pictures of the star showed him looking in good
spirits as he and Lea jetted into LAX in California back on June 20.
Cory last tweeted on Friday, joking around about the new
sci-fi film Sharknado. He wrote: 'What the c**p is Sharknado... Oh. IT'S A
SHARK TORNADO.'
The actor, who played the character Finn Hudson in the
popular Fox show, had spoken publicly about his battle with addiction.
He had previously received treatment aged 19 and told Parade
magazine in 2011 that he took 'Anything and everything, as much as possible. I
had a serious problem'.
Cory, older brother Shaun and their mother Ann McGregor
moved from Calgary, Alberta - where he was born - to Victoria, British
Columbia, (60 miles away from Vancouver) when he was seven following her
divorce from their father Joe.
In 2009, Cory reunited with his father Joe for the first
time in 17 years.
In an interview two years ago, Cory said: 'We’d spoken maybe
three or four times [during that period] and he reached out to me on Facebook.
I couldn’t shut the door, so I got on a plane.
'He greeted me at the airport, and (he and stepmother
Yvette) were so happy they were almost crying. It was a good time.'
News of his death prompted a slew of heartfelt tributes from
his Glee co-stars and TV, film and music stars on Twitter.
His co-star Mark Salling was one of the first to respond to
the news, simply tweeting the word 'No.'
The rest of Cory's Glee colleagues largely stayed silent
after the tragic news, but Harry Shum Jr and Dot Marie Jones who play Mike
Chang and Shannon Beiste on the show were among the few to tweet their condolences.
'At this time, please send nothing but love and light,'
wrote Harry. 'This tragic news still doesn't feel real to me.'
'I am blessed to have worked with him and love him so much!'
tweeted Dot-Marie. 'My heart is with his family and our whole Glee family! I
love you all!
'I have no words! My heart is broken. Cory was not only a
hell of a friend, he was one amazing man that I will hold close to my heart
forever.'
John Stamos, who appeared in a few episodes of Glee in
2010-2011, added to the slew of tributes, posting up a photograph of himself
with the star.
'First day on Glee he said to me, I can't believe I'm
working w/Uncle Jesse - I can't believe I'm writing this tweet,' John wrote.
'Heartbreaking. R.I.P. Cory.
'We talked about how lucky he felt to be alive and sober. We
talked about playing drums. Glad I knew you Cory.'
Adam Shankman, who has directed Cory on Glee, tweeted:
Goodbye my amazing and beautiful friend. The lights in my world just grew
dimmer. The world just lost one of our best. I love u so much. I will always
cherish you in my heart. Thank you for so many wonderful memories. I love you
CM.'
Kristin Chenoweth, who guest starred as April Rhodes in the
TV show added to the words of condolence: 'RIP Corey Monteith. You Will be
loved. Always.'
Demi Lovato, Kim Kardashian, Ellen DeGeneres, Selena Gomez
and Chloe Moretz were among the other celebrities tweeting their condolences.
The hashtags #prayforLea and ##RipCoryMonteith were both
trending on Twitter on Sunday.
A statement from Fox - who produced Glee - went out on
Twitter shortly after the death was announced: ''We are deeply saddened by this
tragic news. Cory was an exceptional talent and an even more exceptional
person.
'He was a true joy to work with and we will all miss him
tremendously. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones.'
CELEBRITIES' REACTIONS TO MONTEITH'S DEATH ON
TWITTER
Julianne Hough: 'One of the kindest people I've ever met! My
heart breaks for Cory's family and loved ones... You will be missed and forever
loved Cory!'
Olivia Munn: 'Shocked and saddened by the tragic death of
Cory Monteith. All my love to his family, friends & girlfriend. #TooSoon'
Kaley Cuoco: 'Please tell me it’s not true… #CoryMonteith no
words. Prayers. Thoughts w his family. This is terrible. Can’t speak.'
Nina Dobrev: 'I’m gutted. Shocked and saddened to hear the
news, my heart goes out to Cory’s family and friends. Lets respect their space
as they grieve.'
Chloe Moretz: 'I just heard about Cory Monteith.. Rest in
peace, everyone close to him and affected by this loss you’re in my prayers.'
Jaime King: '#CoryMonteith a loss of words. May you rest in
Peace. Thoughts and prayers to his family and friends.'
Katharine McPhee: 'omg. Met this sweet man. RIP.'
Kim Kardashian: 'Just heard about the death of Cory
Monteith. So sad. Prayers 4 his family. Praying 4 Lea too! Words cant describe
what they must be feeling.'
Mario Lopez: 'RIP Cory Montieth… Such a nice guy, very down
to earth. Incredibly sad….'
Joel McHale: 'Way too soon. A very nice & good guy.'
Patrick Wilson: 'And in other news… RIP Cory Monteith.
Awful. My heart goes out to his family and friends.'
Ian Ziering: '@CoryMonteith you have touched us all, and we
will miss you. God bless you and your family.'
Lance Bass: 'Devastated about the news of Cory Monteith -
such an incredible guy - my thoughts are with his family and friends'
Jamie Bell: 'Saddened to hear the news on Cory. I hope it
isn’t true.'
Rumer Willis: 'I am truly saddened to hear about Cory
Monteith. What a talented and sweet guy. My prayers go out to his family and
loved ones.'
Teresa Palmer: 'God I am so incredibly saddened by the death
of Cory Monteith, completely shocked. My prayers goes out to all those who
loved him.'
Lacey Chabert: 'So incredibly sad.'
Debby Ryan: 'RIP Cory Monteith. ): So young. Praying for
those closest to him.'
Glee star Dot-Marie Jones: 'I am blessed to have worked with
him and love him so much!' tweeted Dot Marie. 'My heart is with his family and
our whole Glee family! I love you all!
Glee star Harry Shum Jr: 'At this time, please send nothing
but love and light,' wrote Harry. 'This tragic news still doesn't feel real to
me.'
Ryan Guzman: 'Rip Cory Monteith. Sad to see another young
person go because of addiction. Blessings go out to his family and friends.'
Tracie Thoms: 'I hope that was a twitter hoax. Please let it
be a twitter hoax. I’ll never retract a tweet more happily… Not a hoax. My
thoughts are with his family & the #Glee family. Had the pleasure of
meeting him last year in Philly on our film McCanick.'
American Idol’s Devin Velez: 'RIP Cory Monteith. We loved
you on Glee. My heart goes out to the co-stars, and family. #finn'
Photographer Tyler Shields: 'Wow I am speechless about Cory
Monteith such a sweet and amazing guy to young to amazing we always talked
about shooting so sad!'
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