Cory Monteith’s Mom Wrote an Emotional Post About Naya Rivera’s Death; ‘He Cherished Your Friendship More Than You Will Ever Know’

Naya Rivera’s impact that she made by playing Santana on Glee will always be felt. Her sudden death is being mourned throughout the world right now, and a lot of her former cast members from that show shared moving tributes following her death. And Cory Monteith’s mother recently shared one as well, connecting Monteith and Rivera’s death. She wrote about how much Rivera meant to her late son. 

Naya Rivera’s body was recovered on July 13 after drowning in Lake Piru

On July 13, Rivera’s body was found in Lake Piru where she had rented a pontoon boat with her son that previous Wednesday, July 8, according to BuzzFeed News. After her son, Josey, was found four hours after her initial disappearance, officials and family had searched for her in the lake. 

BuzzFeed News also reported that officials said there were no signs of foul play in her death. The Daily Mail reported that an autopsy later revealed on July 14 that Rivera’s official cause of death was drowning and no substances played a role. 

Cory Monteith’s mother shared an Instagram post about how close the two were

With Rivera’s disappearance and then eventual confirmation that she passed, former friends, family, and castmates have posted loving tributes to Rivera. One of the most touching was from Cory Monteith’s mother, Ann McGregor, on Instagram. She runs the @coryslaw account that’s dedicated to the late Glee star’s memory. Not only was it a tribute to Rivera, but it also touched on the fact that Monteith died on July 13, 2012, and Rivera’s body was found on July 13, 2020. 

“For the last 7 years the 13th of July has shattered our hearts beyond repair,” McGregor wrote. “There aren’t enough words to describe the pain we are feeling, we are truly heartbroken at the loss of @nayarivera.”

McGregor then wrote about how close Monteith and Rivera were and how he “loved [her] so, so much” and “cherished” the friendship he had with Rivera.

“From the laughs you shared, to the strength you gave him when he needed it the most. Cory truly adored you,” she wrote. “He was in awe of your incredible talent, the way you gave everything you had to each performance… You once said Cory was like a member of your family; you will always be a part of ours. We’ll carry you in our hearts forever. We miss you. Friends reunited for eternity.”

She also mentioned the iconic slap that Santana gives Finn in Season 3. McGregor wrote that her son loved to share the story of that day. Overall, the post was emotional and a touching tribute to Rivera’s memory. 

The connection between Rivera and Monteith’s deaths was pointed out by Kevin McHale

McGregor isn’t the only person to connect Rivera and Monteith on the anniversary of his death. Glee co-star Kevin McHale, who played Artie, also shared on Twitter how he believes Monteith helped Rivera after her passing. 

“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,” McHale shared alongside a quoted Tweet of Rivera and Monteith interacting with fans after a Glee concert. “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.”

Both instances are truly sad losses, but looking at this spiritual bond they had, and might have had up until Rivera’s death, is a nice perspective.