Leah Remini is paying tribute to her “best friend” and fellow activist Mike Rinder.
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Rinder died on Sunday after a year-and-a-half-long battle with esophageal cancer. He was 65.
“On Sunday, we lost a giant, and I lost a man who was more than a friend—he was family,” Remini wrote in an emotional Instagram post. She included photos of a final visit with Rinder and his family.
“It’s impossible to imagine the last 13 years of my life without Mike Rinder,” she continued. “He was my trusted partner and my closest confidant.”
Rinder, like Remini, was a former Scientologist. After leaving the church in 2007, he became an outspoken advocate against the organization’s reported abuse against its staff members.
Mike Rinder Was a Senior Executive in the Church of Scientology Before Becoming One of its Biggest Critics
Remini left the church in 2013. She shared that Rinder “was one of the first people I turned to. From that moment, he became my lifeline.”
From 2016-19, the pair co-hosted Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath. The A&E docuseries aimed at further exposing the church by interviewing former members and high-ranking staff.
Remini called the Emmy-winning series part of her “incredible journey” with Rinder. The duo also co-hosted a podcast, Fair Game.
“But Mike was so much more than my partner in this fight—he was my brother, my father, and my best friend,” the actress and activist continued in her post. “Mike saved my life and the life of my daughter and he stood by me through battles that felt insurmountable.”
“I haven’t come to terms with the reality that I can’t call him and hear his voice anymore. I am shattered in ways I never thought possible. I have cried endlessly and can’t seem to move from my bed since coming home.”
Leah Remini and Mike Rinder Co-Hosted the Emmy-winning Docuseries Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath
Remini shared that she’ll have more to say about Rinder and his legacy at a later date. For now, she asked followers to donate to a college fund for his 12-year-old son, Jack.
“In his post-Scientology life, Mike was a man transformed. He worked tirelessly to right the wrongs of his past,” she shared. “If you’re able, I hope you’ll join me in contributing to Jack’s college fund, ensuring Mike’s dreams for his son can still come true.”
Asking for prayers for Jack, as well as Mike’s wife, Christie, and stepson, Shane, Remini concluded, “Mikey, I will miss you every day, and I just don’t know how to do it without you.”
Christie shared Rinder’s final words in a post confirming his death.
“If you are reading this, I have shuffled off this mortal coil in accordance with the immutable law that there are only two certainties in life: death and taxes,” he stated. “I have been lucky — living two lives in one lifetime. The second one the most wonderful years anyone could wish for with all of you and my new family!”
Rinder further stated that his only real regret was not achieving his goal of ending the abuses of Scientology.
“If you are in any way fighting to end those abuses, please keep the flag flying — never give up,” he continued. “And please, if you are able in some way, help Christie and the boys to move forward into the next chapter of their lives.”