Farewell to Finn
Let's journey back to May 19, 2009. You probably do not remember where you were or what you were doing, but I do. May 19, 2009, was the premiere of the television show, Glee. May 19, 2009, was also the day, even though I did not realize it at the time, my life changed forever.
Let's also journey back to July 13, 2013. July 13, 2013, was another day my life changed forever. I remember that day all too well. I remember laying down in bed to go to sleep, but I was unable to that night. I unlocked my phone and went on Twitter. That is when I heard the terrible news and that is when my world came crashing down. July 13, 2013: The day Cory Monteith died.
Ever since that fateful day on May 19, 2009, I made time each and every week to sit down on the couch with my mom to watch Glee. Each and every week, I sang along to the songs the cast would perform and smile and laugh at their punch lines and antics. I fell in love with the show the moment the series premiered for the first time. I also fell in love with one character: Finn Hudson. The first song we ever heard Finn sing was "Can't Fight This Feeling." Mr. Schue had just formed the New Directions, but as he was walking out of the school, he heard a voice coming from the locker room. He walked in and there Finn was; he refused to join the New Directions because he claimed not to be a singer, but there he was singing his heart out in the locker room showers. That was the moment I fell in love with Finn Hudson and I have not stopped.
I have been fortunate enough to have never lost someone close to me and I have also been fortunate enough to have never lost someone I admire and idolize. That is, until July 13, 2013. I received the news over Twitter, so naturally, I did not believe it; I thought it was another idiotic rumor someone bored had started. However, I began to see the same news over and over and over again and it finally hit me: Cory Monteith had died. I lay in my bed and cried for two and a half hours after receiving this news. I refused to believe it was true. It could not be true. He was still young; he was only thirty-one years old. A little over a month later was the Teen Choice Awards. This was the day Lea Michele gave her speech in honor of her fiance. This was closure for many of us, but I still refused to believe his death had actually happened. A little more than two months later was Glee's tribute episode to Cory Monteith. I was crying the moment the episode premiered. I was sobbing; I was bawling; I could barely breathe while watching this episode. When it was over, I could not move from my bed for twenty minutes. It was incredibly hard to watch because that was our final goodbye to him. I cannot explain how I truly felt... Simply put, I felt sad.
Cory Monteith is an incredibly beautiful human being, but like anyone out there, he faced demons. He was the victim of drug addiction. However, he was brave enough and strong enough to check himself into a rehabilitation center and get help for this addiction. He conquered his demons. He was able to pursue a life of acting and singing and he was able to continue and get engaged to the love of his life, Lea Michele. Unfortunately, those demons returned on one night, one life-changing night, and he was not able to conquer them a second time.
We all have our demons, but we are all able to conquer them. You are strong enough to live a full life. If you are facing any sort of struggle as a result of addiction, please be brave enough to ask for help. You should not be ashamed. Some people want to help you. Feel free to contact a treatment center or even me. You are special, you are beautiful, and you are strong enough.
Stay beautiful,
Andrea