Gay Glee star Kevin McHale believes Cory Monteith helped find Naya Rivera’s body on the anniversary of his death
(From L to R) Cory Monteith, Naya Rivera and Kevin McHale. (Gail Oskin/WireImage for Samsung)
Kevin McHale reflected on the body of Naya Rivera being found on the seven-year-anniversary of the death of Cory Monteith, saying the late star “helped find her body”.
Investigators found the body of Rivera, 33, at a lake in California, US, bringing a potential end of a nauseating search for the singer.
For the cast of Glee, July 13 was already a devastating day. Many fans and stars paid tribute to Monteith, found dead in a hotel room in 2013 from a drug overdose aged 31, when the news of Rivera’s body broke.
‘I’m not religious by any means but you’d be hard-pressed to convince me that Cory Monteith didn’t help find our girl today.’
McHale retweeted and the shared footage of Rivera and Monteith signing autographs and chatting and hugging joyous fans. Reflecting, he said that he believes that Monteith helped lead searchers, who had been combing Lake Piru for days.
“I’m not religious by any means,” McHale tweeted, “but you’d be hard-pressed to convince me that Cory didn’t help find our girl today.
I'm not religious by any means, but you'd be hard-pressed to convince me that Cory didn't help find our girl today. These 2, in many ways, were the male and female versions of one another. So nice, cared deeply, were stupidly talented, the most fun, and really really good people. https://t.co/qsvThOJxL7
— Kevin McHale (@druidDUDE) July 14, 2020
“These two, in many ways, were the male and female versions of one another.
“So nice, cared deeply, were stupidly talented, the most fun, and really really good people.”
In the Ryan Muprhy show, which aired 2009 to 2015, Rivera played the sharp-tongued lesbian Satanna Lopez while Monteith played the upbeat jock Finn Hudson.
Naya Rivera (L) and Kevin McHale on Glee. (FOX Image Collection via Getty Images)
Authorities said Monday that Rivera’s body was found near the surface of the water in the northeastern portion of the lake. The Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office will perform an autopsy to make a positive identification, authorities said at a news conference.
They added that they believe the boat may have begun to drift while Rivera and her four-year-old son were swimming, with the actor managing to get him to safety but unable to save herself.
Glee cast members led tearful tributes to Rivera, with Chris Colfer writing: “How can you convey all your love and respect for someone in one post? How can you summarise a decade of friendship and laughter with words alone?
“If you were friends with Naya Rivera, you simply can’t. Her brilliance and humour were unmatched. Her beauty and talent were otherworldly. She spoke truth to power with poise and fearlessness.
“She could turn a bad day into a great day with a single remark. She inspired and uplifted people without even trying. Being close to her was both a badge of honour and a suit of armour.
“Naya was truly one of a kind, and she always will be. Sending all my love to her wonderful family and her beautiful son.”
