Published: January 14, 2025
Ex-Scientologist Remembers Late Friend’s Battle Against False Religion
By Movieguide® Contributor
THE KING OF QUEENS actress Leah Remini took to social media last week to honor her dear friend and fellow ex-Scientologist, Mike Rinder after his death. He was 69.
Rinder passed away shortly after Christmas after an ongoing battle with cancer.
“On Sunday, we lost a giant, and I lost a man who was more than a friend — he was my family,” Remini wrote on social media a few days after his death. “It’s impossible to imagine the last 13 years of my life without Mike Rinder. He was my anchor, my trusted partner, and my closest confidant. The thought of moving forward without him feels unbearable.”
Rinder grew up in the Church of Scientology International, rising through the ranks until he was the chief spokesman for CSI, a position he held for over two decades. He eventually left the religion in 2007 and became an outspoken critic.
When Remini left Scientology, Rinder became her go-to person.
READ MORE: LEAH REMINI FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY: ‘PSYCHOLOGICAL TORTURE’
“When I left Scientology, Mike was one of the first people I turned to. From that moment, he became my lifeline,” she continued. “Together, we embarked on an incredible journey that included The Aftermath and our podcast, Fair Game.”
LEAH REMINI: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE AFTERMATH won “two Primetime Emmys, for outstanding informational series or special (2017) and outstanding hosted nonfiction series or special (2020), with Rinder receiving an Emmy for the latter win,” the Hollywood Reporter said.
But Remini lost more than just her collaborator. She lost “my brother, my father, my best friend…in every way that mattered.”
“Mike saved my life and the life of my daughter,” she added. “He stood by me through battles that felt insurmountable, giving me strength when I had none left. I owe him a debt I could never repay.”
“I haven’t yet come to terms with the reality that I can’t call him, text him, or hear his voice anymore,” the actress added. “I am shattered in ways I never thought possible, overwhelmed by the weight of this loss. I have cried endlessly and can’t seem to move from my bed since coming home from being with him and his grieving family. I’ll have so much more to say about Mike and the legacy he leaves behind — words that will attempt to honor his immeasurable contribution to this world, to my life, and to the lives of countless others.”
READ MORE: ‘PRAISE THE LORD’: LEAH REMINI SAYS SCIENTOLOGY VICTIMS ARE FINALLY BEING HEARD
