On July 13, 2013, Cory Monteith tragically passed away in Vancouver, Canada. The Canadian actor, who is mostly known for playing Finn Hudson on Glee, touched many people’s hearts during his short life. He inspired people to be kind, open-minded and loving. On May 11, Cory would have turned 34. In his honour, his mother, Ann McGregor, is raising money for Saint James Music Academy.
It’s no secret that Cory didn’t have it easy. All his life he faced struggles. However, those battles did not define him. Cory was a bright light. He was a hard worker who was passionate about what he did. He was a kind person who always saw the good in other people. He was selfless and always wanted to help those who needed it. Cory Monteith was an inspiration to people because he made them want to become the best that they could be. Although he’s not physically with us anymore, he still continues to inspire those he left behind.
Cory used his fame to help other people and to spread awareness about different causes. He felt he had a responsibility to help those who needed it because he believed that we all deserve a chance. He would rather go to charity events than movie premieres, which shows just how big his heart was. He didn’t give to charity to gain attention; he did it because he genuinely loved it and thought that it was important. Business mogul Richard Branson once said that Cory “was a beautiful soul. His awareness of his own struggles led him to reach out to young people all over the world with deep compassion and empathy to help them through their struggles.”
After Cory’s tragic passing, Ann founded Cory’s Law. She did so because of the circumstances after his death. Ann raised Cory alone for most of his life. His father left when Cory and his brother were young. Since then, they had very little contact with their father. Cory’s Law condemns the Act’s undifferentiated and standardized, one-size-fits-all approach which treats all cases of child intestate succession uniformly. This unjust law states both surviving parents are automatically deemed equally entitled to inherit their deceased child’s estate, regardless of the quality of the parent-child relationship. Under this law a parent derelict in parental duty; having demonstrated intentional, callous disregard for the child’s welfare by depriving them of parental presence and support through neglect and abandonment, is nonetheless, automatically deemed an equally deserving beneficiary of the deceased child’s estate.
Cory’s Law advocates improving and reforming the Wills, Estates and Succession Act of British Columbia; so that it unequivocally honours, values and respects the unwavering commitment and contribution of responsible, dedicated parents while showing zero tolerance for delinquent parents. Listening to life is their spirit; humanity is to feel the pain of others. Cory listened and felt the pain. He stated: ‘LOVE is how you live, even after you’re gone’. Together, they hope to make a difference in Canada in honour of Cory.
“The transformational effect of music on children transcends boundaries, languages, cultures, borders, all of the above. I think it’s truly a flat world effect. It has the same effect and is reproducible anywhere in the world. It can change the life of a child, through music education, for the rest of their life.” – Cory Monteith
Music was always a big part of Cory’s life. He once said, “When I was a kid, I struggled a lot with who I was and where my life was going and what I was interested in. And I was fortunate to have the arts inspire me.” He knew that children needed a place they belonged, and knew that music and the arts could change lives. This is why his Cory’s Law has chosen to support Saint James Music Academy.
Saint James Music Academy teaches classical music at no cost to children living in Canada’s lowest income urban neighbourhood. According to their website, the children at SJMA find joy through the music. They discover the deep riches of their own potential and find new self-esteem. They learn about the beauty and the necessity of collaboration with others. They improve their intellectual and other skills. They learn to overcome barriers they did not make. In a word, they become empowered.
“I feel like we have a responsibility to make it known to the public what everybody could do, how everybody can make a difference. And I think that revealing these different charitable causes, like Virgin Unite or PETA or any of these other causes, are how people can contribute, they can help out. Even if it’s small, everybody can do something.” – Cory Monteith
Because of Cory’s love for music and his love for giving, Ann McGregor and Cory’s Law are excited and proud to fundraise in honour of Cory’s birthday. All donations are appreciated. If you’re unable to donate, raising awareness about this cause is greatly appreciated as well.
Help Ann McGregor support Saint James Music Academy by donating here.
Read more about Saint James Music Academy here.