Cory Monteith

TV fans were shocked to learn on July 13 that Glee star Cory Monteith had been found dead in a Vancouver hotel room. Just 31 years old, the young actor had just seen his career take off in the last few years due to the popularity of the hit Fox comedy Glee. He had been open about his long history with drug abuse, and sadly it was a mix of heroin and alcohol that led to the talented star’s death.

Monteith and his Glee co-star Lea Michele, a longtime Broadway performer with credits such as Ragtime and Spring Awakening on her resume, were romantically involved, although Michele was not present at the time of his death. Though she has requested privacy while she grieves for her boyfriend’s death, Michele’s representatives did release the following statement to People Magazine:

“Lea is deeply grateful for all the love and support she’s received from family, friends, and fans. Lea has been grieving alongside his family and making appropriate arrangements with them. They are supporting each other as they endure this profound loss together. We continue to ask the media to respect the privacy of Lea and Cory’s family.”