Lea Michele's Heartfelt Tribute to Cory Monteith's Enduring Light on the 10th Anniversary of His Demise

Lea Michele honors her late ex Cory Monteith every year since his passing in 2013, and the 10th anniversary was no exception. Taking to Instagram on Thursday, July 13, she wrote, "Hey you. It's been 10 years. It feels like just yesterday you were here, yet it also feels like a distant memory. I cherish all our moments in my heart, keeping them safe and forever cherished."

Michele kept on saying, "We think of you each day and will always remember the positivity you brought into our lives. I really miss you, my friend. I hope you have reunited with Taylor in heaven and have started jamming together."

Lea Michele shared a heartfelt tribute on her Instagram, paying homage to Cory Monteith and expressing her condolences following the recent passing of Taylor Hawkins, the late drummer of the Foo Fighters. Hawkins passed away at the age of 50 in March 2022 during the band's tour in Colombia.

Monteith passed away at the age of 31 in July 2013 due to an accidental mixture of heroin and alcohol. At the time of his death, he was in a relationship with Michele, whom he had met in 2009 while working on Glee. Michele, known for portraying Rachel Berry, and Monteith, who played Finn Hudson, were a popular on-screen couple. A year later, Michele shared their future plans, discussing topics such as having children and envisioning themselves growing old together. She expressed their deep connection and a sense of completeness in their relationship.

Cory Monteith and Lea Michele Broadimage/Shutterstock

She remarked, "In that phase of a relationship, you share everything. However, today, it feels like I was given the most incredible aspects of Cory, and for that, I am grateful."

Despite moving forward with her marriage to Zandy Reich in 2019, Michele has always shown respect for her late ex-boyfriend each year. During a recent reunion with her former Glee co-stars Kevin McHale and Jenna Ushkowitz, she expressed intense emotions while watching Monteith's performance in the show's pilot episode.

“I was deeply moved by moments that I had never felt emotional about in regards to the show,” she shared during a January 2020 episode of the “Showmance” podcast. “One particular scene was when [Finn] rescued [Artie] from the Porta Potty. It encapsulated an entire character's journey for an entire season in just one moment. Witnessing Finn's caring nature as he pulled you out of the bathroom was heart-wrenching. Oh, my God."

Glee aired from 2009 to 2015, and the cast faced other tragic events aside from Monteith's death. Naya Rivera tragically passed away at the age of 33 due to an accidental drowning in July 2020.

Dianna Agron, Lea Michele, and Cory Monteith on ‘Glee’. Carin Baer/Fox-Tv/Kobal/Shutterstock

Michele and Rivera faced challenges while working together, but the Tony nominee expressed her condolences publicly after Rivera's unexpected death. In July 2020, she paid tribute to both Rivera and Monteith by sharing black-and-white photos on Instagram.

Despite facing difficulties in the spotlight, Ushkowitz and McHale confided to We that Rivera's passing actually brought the cast closer as a group.

McHale reflected on the intense emotions everyone was feeling and their need to understand why these events were occurring. He expressed gratitude for the opportunity to openly discuss and explore their feelings in a safe and comforting environment.

Ushkowitz shared a similar sentiment, relating it to when they experienced the loss of Monteith. However, she noted that during that time, they were still actively working on the show. In contrast, after Naya's passing, they had a significant break from the series, allowing them ample time to process their emotions and deeply reflect on their experiences.