I was a druggie dropout... now I help 'at risk' kids
Says Glee hunk Cory Monteith
GLEE hunk Cory Monteith has revealed how his drink and drug-fuelled teenage years left him with a burning desire to save youngsters from the same mistakes.
Cory had such chronic problems that he now considers himself "lucky to be alive".
The actor, 29, who plays sports star and singer Finn Hudson in the E4 hit, was talking to TV Biz as he visited a UK centre for homeless young people. Canadian Cory said meeting youngsters there made him feel "humble" and "fortunate".
He insisted he could easily have drifted down the same route. "I was a troubled kid," said Cory. "Although I was never homeless myself, I was marginalised. Meeting some of the people here makes me feel very humble.
"I feel fortunate that I had the support around so that I was able to overcome a lot of the difficulties I was dealing with.
"The reason I talk about my past is not to seem opportunistic, but to raise awareness that these problems exist for young people. A lot of people have come from marginalised situations.
"It's not hard to believe that this happened to someone on TV. It's hard to believe there are still such problems in First World countries."
Cory started drinking and taking drugs when he was just 13 before dropping out of school. He was finally forced into rehab by his mother and friends at the age of 19.
"I was out of control," he admitted. "I had a serious problem - anything and everything as much as possible."
Fans of musical comedy drama Glee, which is moving to Sky in the autumn, have been going wild for the show's live tour. Members of the cast were also spotted at the Hard Rock Calling Festival in London's Hyde Park with Prince Harry and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.
But Cory was determined to take time out to help those in need.
He visited the YMCA Foyer in Ealing, West London. It is one of 140 such residential places in the UK where people aged between 16 and 19 can live and get help in planning their futures. Cory is working with Virgin Unite, the non-profit foundation of the Virgin Group which supports charities like the Foyer Federation.
He said: "The Virgin Unite RE*Generation programme really fits with what I'm passionate about when it comes to philanthropy.
"I think that, especially in the UK, it's very important to raise awareness of under-funded programmes.
"Youth homelessness isn't about kids making bad decisions - they haven't made a choice to be on the streets. The problems exist and programmes which help resolve those problems need funding."
Resident Priscilla Mesaque, 18, showed Cory round her room at The Foyer, where she has been staying since last September. She said: "Two years ago, my mum passed away and I moved out of home because I didn't get on with my stepdad and was sharing a box-room with my ten-year-old sister.
"I went to the council and they found me a place at The Foyer. It means I can go to college, where I'm doing performing arts.
"If I hadn't found this place, I don't know what would have happened. I don't think I would have been able to go to college."
Kereice Heaven, 24, is one of the The Foyer's success stories. She moved there in September 2009 after illness cost her a job in recruitment.
Now she is working there as a volunteer events co-ordinator. "Having someone like Cory come to visit doesn't happen every day," said Kereice. "He's a huge star. It's a good opportunity to show that it isn't just the stereotypes of homeless people who live here.
"Some of us don't have drug or alcohol problems - we just need a stepping stone to get where we want to be."
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/3674958/Glee-hunk-was-a-druggie-dropout.html#ixzz1R8yVFB63
