Cory Monteith Battled Drugs, Addiction Since He Was A Teenager

Cory Monteith was so mired in drug addiction at age 19 that family members staged an intervention in the hopes of getting him back on track.

The bumpy road that followed came to an abrupt and tragic end Saturday night when Cory was found dead at Vancouver’s Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel. Though police have not said if the death was related to drugs or alcohol, Monteith’s death came just months after completing a stint in rehab for substance addiction.

The 31-year-old Glee star had been open about his struggles with addiction. In 2011 he spoke about his drug problems during his teenage years, saying it took the intervention to see just how far he had fallen.

“I’m lucky on so many counts –- I’m lucky to be alive,” Monteith said. “I stole a significant amount of money from a family member. I knew I was going to get caught, but I was so desperate I didn’t care.”

The addictions was so bad that Cory Monteith decided to drop out of school at age 16, using “anything and everything, as much as possible.”

But after a rehab stint, it appeared Cory had straightened himself out. His acting career started to take off, with a series of television appearances and a recurring role on the ABC Family series Kyle XY.

The addiction problems would not go away, however.

When Cory Monteith left for rehab in April, he did so with the full support of the Glee cast and crew. The show’s producers said they planned to stay on schedule and film the final two remaining episodes of the year without him.

“Cory is a beloved member of the Glee family and we fully support his decision to seek treatment,” said 20th Century Fox, the show’s producer, in a statement. “Everyone at the show wishes him well and looks forward to his return.”

Cory also got words of support from his girlfriend, fellow Glee star Lea Michele. She said she was proud of his decision to enter rehab and “will stand by him through this.”

Police in Vancouver say Cory Monteith came back to his hotel room alone early Saturday morning but never emerged when it was time to check out. They said he was “clearly deceased” when police arrived.