Lea Michele Honors Naya Rivera and Cory Monteith With Never-Before-Seen Glee Photos

Glee star Naya Rivera's body was found exactly seven years after Cory Monteith died from an accidental drug overdose.

By McKenna Aiello Jul 13, 2020 11:23 PMTags
Watch: Naya Rivera Dead at Age 33

Lea Michele has joined the rest of the Glee cast in their mourning over the death of Naya Rivera

On Monday, July 13, Rivera's body was recovered from a Southern California lake, where she went missing five days prior while boating with her 4-year-old son. Members of the Glee cast were pictured alongside Naya's family holding hands at Lake Piru as law enforcement worked to identify the remains as those belonging to the actress. 

In a painful reminder of the tragedy that stars of the Fox musical series have endured over the years, today also marks the seven-year anniversary of Cory Monteith's passing. In 2013, Monteith died at the age of 31 from an accidental drug overdose. 

Lea, who was in a relationship with Cory at the time of his death, took to social media with multiple never-before-seen photos of her late co-stars from over the years. 

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Naya Rivera: Life in Pictures

The black and white snapshots show Naya on set of Glee, Cory holding a bouquet of flowers and the cast looking out over the beach. 

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And as news of Rivera's untimely passing sent shockwaves through Hollywood, Glee cast members recalled the moments with the 33-year-old they'll cherish forever.

"How can you convey all your love and respect for someone in one post?" Chris Colfer shared on Instagram. "How can you summarize a decade of friendship and laughter with words alone? If you were friends with Naya Rivera, you simply can't. Her brilliance and humor 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 honor and a suit of armor. Naya was truly one of a kind, and she always will be. Sending all my love to her wonderful family and her beautiful son."

John Medina/WireImage

Becca Tobin shared in part, "Naya was insanely talented, breathtakingly gorgeous, and one of the wittiest people I've ever met, but the legacy she left behind for me is her kindness... She was a superstar who had nothing to gain from being kind to the new girl, but she was and that changed this new girl's entire experience on that show. I will forever be grateful to that beautiful human. My heart goes out to her family and her sweet boy."

For Jenna Ushkowitz, she said Rivera "shined on stage and screen and with love behind closed doors."

"I can not believe I took for granted that you'd always be here," the actress continued. "Our friendship went in waves as life happens and we grow, so I will not look back and regret but know I love you and promise to help the legacy of your talent, humor, light and loyalty live on. You are so loved. You deserved the world and we will make sure Josey and your family feel that everyday. I miss you already."

Read more celebrity tributes to Rivera here

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