'Glee' Star Kevin McHale Believes Cory Monteith 'Helped Find' Naya Rivera's Body on Anniversary of His Death

07/14/2020 11:18 am EDT

Kevin McHale credits late actor Cory Monteith with helping search and rescue teams locate the body of Glee co-star Naya Rivera on July 13, the seventh anniversary of Monteith's death, after the actress went missing on July 8. After police confirmed Monday that they had found Rivera's body in Lake Piru after a suspected drowning, McHale, who played Artie on Glee, took to Twitter to make sense of the tragic coincidence.

Noting that he isn't one to jump to spiritual explanations, McHale said you would be "hard-pressed" to convince him that Monteith, who portrayed the character Finn, didn't help "find our girl" on the anniversary of his own 2013 death. McHale said that Monteith and Rivera, who played Santana, were in many ways "the male and female versions of one another" with their kindness, caring nature and incredible talent.

Monteith, who struggled with addiction, died on July 13, 2013, in a Vancouver hotel of what police later determined was a fatal cocktail of alcohol and heroin. In the episode of Glee honoring Monteith, Rivera performed The Band Perry's "If I Die Young" in a clip that is being circulated online after her death at just 33.

Rivera went missing on July 8 after renting a boat with 4-year-old son Josey on Lake Piru. When the boat was not returned on time, rental employees found the vessel still out on the water, with a sleeping Josey clad in his life vest. Police said Monday they have found no evidence of foul play, and believe Rivera could have drowned after strong winds potentially pushed the unanchored boat away from her.

Sunday, Glee alum Amber Riley defended herself and her fellow cast members who had not posted on social media about Rivera's disappearance. "Show some respect. All our energy is going toward helping find Naya and praying for her safe return and for her family," Riley tweeted. "No one owes anyone online a performance of grief. This is very real and devastating. Focus on Naya and her family. Not us. We don't matter right now."

McHale retweeted her message and wrote, "I cannot begin to understand what Naya's family must be feeling. I know the rest of us are completely shattered, but not without hope. Please respect her family & their privacy in this moment. Please refrain from judging those who don't show their pain on social media."

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