Leah Remini pays tribute to Scientology whistleblower Mike Rinder after his death: ‘He was my family’
On Tuesday, Leah Remini honorably remembered Mike Rinder, her trusted companion and most trusted confidant, who passed away at the age of 69 on Sunday, following a tough fight against advanced esophageal cancer.
On Sunday, we bid farewell to a colossal figure, and I lost someone who was not just a friend but felt like kin, Remini stated in the caption of her Instagram post, which included a series of photos capturing Rinder’s festive celebrations as memories.
In simpler terms, Remini, who portrayed Carrie Heffernan on The King of Queens from 1998-2007, stated that Rinder provided vital support for her both prior to and following her contentious divorce from the church in 2013.
Over the past 13 years, it’s been unimaginable for me to envision my life without Mike Rinder by my side. Upon leaving Scientology, Mike was among the initial individuals I reached out to.
Leah Remini and Mike Rinder teamed up following their departures from the Church of Scientology. Together, they worked on the A&E documentary series Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath and the podcast Fair Game. In 2020, their A&E show was awarded an Emmy for Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special.
In unison, we ventured into a breathtaking odyssey, encompassing The Aftermath and our engaging podcast, Fair Game. Yet, Mike transcended the role of my fellow combatant in this struggle; he was my cherished brother, my guiding father, and my most trusted friend.
In a heartfelt gratitude, I must acknowledge Mike’s heroic actions. He not only saved my life but also that of my precious daughter. Through trials that seemed impossible to overcome, Mike was unwavering in his support.
In recent times, following the passing of Rinder, Remini has been navigating the challenging phases of grief as she prepares for her role in the upcoming comedy “The Mother, the Menacer, and Me,” co-starring Lorraine Bracco.
Remini stated, ‘It’s hard for me to accept that I won’t be able to talk to him again.’ He added, ‘I’m broken in ways I never imagined I could be.’
‘I have cried endlessly and can’t seem to move from my bed since coming home.’
Remini expressed about Rinder, a previous high-ranking Scientologist turned vocal critic of the Church, “I’ll deeply miss you each day, and I’m unsure how to move forward without you.
Rinder died shortly after sharing a photo with his wife and two kids over Christmas.
In the recent photo, Rinder appeared noticeably different than he did in photographs taken with his wife Christie Collbran only a few months earlier. Back then, he was seen with a full head of hair and a vibrant complexion, unlike the smiling individual captured in the more recent image.
In a photo from December 25th, it appeared that he had lost most of his hair – this happening over roughly three months, coinciding with him receiving his medical diagnosis.
Collbran shared a touching memory of the family in happier times, honoring the two-time father who, alongside Leah Remini, hosted the Emmy-winning documentary series “Scientology and the Aftermath.
On Sunday, she didn’t clarify if cancer was the cause of her loved one’s passing, nor did she reveal the exact day he died.
The message started off by expressing, “May you find eternal rest, my dear, lovely spouse,” before paying tribute to a well-known critic of Scientology.
For over three decades, he was a member of the agency’s clandestine Sea Org. It wasn’t until he watched and reflectively considered investigative journalist John Sweeney’s film Scientology and Me in 2007 that he came to understand he had been subjected to brainwashing.
‘Rest in peace, my sweet, beautiful husband,’ Collbran wrote, revealing the news to the world.
She went on to say, “Many share the same sentiments as me when expressing the deep sorrow and anguish that mirrors the profound affection we hold for you.
Your courage, bravery, and integrity are truly exceptional and continue to leave a lasting impact on us. You’ve been a rock of support in our lives, providing us with your resilience, insight, affection, humor, and dedication.
‘The world will remember you.’
The post also contained Rinder’s last words, which Collbran proudly relayed to the public.
If you’re reading this, it means I’ve completed my journey through this world, as is the inevitable truth that the only constants in life are death and taxes. This was my closing statement.
‘My blog site will remain as an archive of more than 4,000 posts and 300,000 comments.
I’ve poured my heart into this, driven by affection and enthusiasm, enabling me to express myself freely and share my unique viewpoint without any external influences.
In that location, you can encounter Rinder’s renowned criticisms of the religion, a faith system he deeply immersed himself in during his childhood due to his parents’ influence.
He further mentioned, “My main sorrow is that I didn’t manage to accomplish what I had planned – putting an end to the issues within Scientology and witnessing my son, Jack, grow into maturity.
Addressing fellow whistleblowers akin to Remini and the daughter of the present leader David Miscavige, he declared: ‘Should you persistently work towards ending the abuses, continue waving the banner – never yield or surrender.’
Instead, he proceeded to cite his separation from the contentious group, expressing gratitude for having experienced two lives within a single lifetime.
He described the second one as ‘the most magical years anyone could hope for’, due to it being with all of you and my newly formed family.
Rinder and Collbran, a former member who also fled Sea Org at the time, married in 2013.
At nearly 60 years old, he had been serving for roughly half of his lifespan as the international representative and head of Scientology’s Office of Special Affairs, concurrently sitting on the Board of Directors of Church of Scientology International.
At the age of 52, he abandoned his religious beliefs, leaving two years after the departure of a potentially more famous defector than him.
Jenna Miscavige, David’s niece who is now 40 years old, escaped from the Sea Org back in 2005, similar to how Rinder had been posting updates for quite some time on his blog. Today, she regularly shares accounts of her life within and beyond Scientology’s strongest faction.
Currently, she resides in California with her two kids. Similar to Rinder, they first crossed paths at church, and by 2005, they had departed together.
She stated in a video posted two months ago that the Church of Scientology “did everything they could to make our lives miserable.” She alleges that her marriage disintegrated because of the mistrust she experienced, which she attributes to a network of spies she claims the organization planted in her life following her departure.
The church denied all of her allegations in a statement to DailyMail.com.
From 2015 to 2016, Rinder co-hosted the series “Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath” on A&E with the popular actor from “The King of Queens.
For three consecutive seasons, the duo explored their personal experiences within the Church, as well as those of other ex-members, asserting that they faced harassment much like Miscavige did, following their public criticisms and departures from the organization.
Following the end of the show, Leah Remini and Mike Rinder carried on their collaboration by launching a podcast titled “Scientology: Fair Game” in 2020.
Or simply:
In 2020, they started a podcast together called “Scientology: Fair Game” after the show ended.
The religion currently counts stars like Tom Cruise and John Travolta as members.
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2025-01-08 03:10