The death of Hollywood actor Cory Monteith has touched the Sooke School District.
Monteith was a student at the Colwood alternative high school Western Opportunity Network, now called Pacific secondary school.
He attended the school about 12 years ago and superintendent Jim Cambridge said the actor attended for Grades 11 and 12, but never graduated.
“He had come from a number of schools and I think (Pacific Secondary) was a good time for him,” said Cambridge, who never met the future Glee star. “He had a couple of teachers he kept in contact with even after he got famous. They would send Facebook messages to each other.”
Monteith had sent some photos to the school that are still in the office.
“It’s really sad. Any time a former student passes away at an early age it’s hard,” Cambridge said. “Our thoughts are with his family and friends. People in school will feel it when are back in the fall.”
The Victoria-raised actor was found dead in Vancouver’s Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel on Saturday. The cause of death has not been confirmed by police, but foul play is not suspected.
Monteith rose to fame on the hit TV show Glee. He had previously admitted to having substance abuse issue in the past and checked himself into rehab in April.
An autopsy was slated to be done on Monday, the results of which were not available at the Gazette deadline.
– With files from Kolby Solinsky
charla@goldstreamgazette.com