Lea Michele got the phone call no one ever wants to get the evening of Saturday, July 13. The 26-year-old Glee star's costar and real-life boyfriend of more than a year, Cory Monteith, was dead at the young age of 31.
A source tells Us Weekly that Michele got the heartbreaking call in Los Angeles at around 10 p.m. that evening. The person on the other end of the line had been desperate to reach her before the news broke. Monteith had been found dead just past noon in a Vancouver, British Columbia, hotel room.
"Lea completely lost her mind," says a confidant. "She went crazy, screaming and crying until 3 a.m."
Devastated, the actress went into seclusion in L.A. "Lea has been inconsolable and feels like she's been hit by a truck," says the friend. "She didn't know he'd started using again." Monteith spent the month of April in rehab, but toxicology reports revealed on July 16 that the Canadian-born actor had accidentally overdosed on heroin and alcohol.
While mourning the loss of her love, Michele is focusing on planning his funeral arrangements. "She's been talking with Cory's family the entire time and wants to plan the whole funeral," an insider previously told Us. Though the source said Michele is "planning the whole thing," a second insider told Us she is still struggling to cope with his death. "She's not doing great," the insider said. "She's totally devastated."
TMZ reported that Monteith was cremated in Vancouver on Tuesday. Michele reportedly attended a private viewing with his family.
That same day, she broke her silence about Monteith's passing in a statement through her rep. "Lea is deeply grateful for all the love and support she's received from family, friends, and fans," Michele's rep told Us. "Since Cory's passing, 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."