Fans React to Mark Salling’s Death: ‘First Cory Monteith, Now This’

Fans are already reacting to the death of Glee star Mark Salling, who was found near the Big [...]

Fans are already reacting to the death of Glee star Mark Salling, who was found near the Big Tujunga Creek in Los Angeles on Tuesday after an apparent suicide.

Salling allegedly attempted suicide once before in October. The actor was charged with possession of child pornography, and it was rumored that he cut his wrists shortly after agreeing to a plea deal in order to get a sentence of 4 to 7 years in prison. Salling and his lawyers both vehemently denied these claims, yet he was seen wearing long sleeves afterward.

In December, Salling officially pleaded guilty to the charges. The judge reportedly warned him that, despite the plea deal, he could still hit him with the maximum 20 year sentence.

Salling's sentencing was scheduled for March.

Fans of the Fox dramedy Glee are conflicted over Salling's death. The show was often centered around redemption arcs, and strongly advocated open communication when it comes to mental health and suicide prevention. Still, no one is in a hurry to forgive Salling for his crimes.

Salling is not the first big Glee star to pass away. Cory Monteith, who played Finn Hudson, overdosed on heroin in a hotel in Vancouver. He was 31 years old, and the show went on for two more years.

"Cory was a good person and we all loved him," one user wrote, "but I can't feel something for this situation. What Mark Salling did was wrong and that was that."


Monteith's death galvanized the cast of Glee as well as the fan base, and now old "Gleeks" can't help but compare the way that the two actors left their lives behind. Monteith's passing became a rallying point against addiction and all the shame and struggles that go with it.

Many of Salling's more sensitive fans are mourning the way he apparently failed to deal with his mental health issues, but the sympathy is less universal.

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