Charice Pempengco on Cory Monteith: 'I Never Thanked Him Enough for Making Me Happy'

The stars of FOX's GLEE have been making individual statements regarding the death of their co-star Cory Monteith. Charice Pempengco, who played Sunshine Corazon in season two of the show, recently wrote the following words about Monteith for CNN:

The defining moment of our friendship happened the third time I joined the cast of "Glee" for yet another memorable shooting experience as Sunshine Corazon. At the set, Cory was cool. Like his character Finn Hudson, Cory was so cool that everything seemed alright with him.

I remember the last time I shot for "Glee," it was May 9, 2011. It was a long shooting day that swelled into the wee hours of the following morning.

I was a tad emotional when the clock struck 12 midnight -- not because I was tired -- but because May 10 was my birthday. And I, a girl from the barrio of Gulod in the far-flung Philippines, was alone in America.

My family was not there, my friends were not there, I didn't have my loved ones there to celebrate my birthday. It didn't help that we all still had a long way to go on that day at the set of "Glee."

But Cory came to the rescue, just in time, with his sweet greeting: "Happy birthday, Charice!" A big smile crossed his handsome face. There was sincerity in his tone as he gave me a tight hug. He became family to me at that moment.

In the remaining hours of our shoot, Cory told me he had Googled me and found my date of my birth. Cool Cory's act of kindness. He told other members of the "Glee" cast that it was my birthday and I was floored at how many of them greeted me with their warm birthday wishes.

My body felt cold when I learned about his death. Too soon, too early, too young. I never thanked Cory enough for that one moment in time when he made me feel like family. I never thanked him enough for making me happy on that lonely day.

Click here to read the full tribute.

Monteith was found dead in a Vancouver hotel room on July 13. Autopsy and toxicity results showed that the actor died of a drug overdose with heroin and alcohol found in his body. "This was an overdose and a tragic accident," Vancouver Police Department spokesman Brian Montague said at a press conference following the release of the autopsy findings.

Production on "Glee's" fifth season has been pushed from July 29 until late August, the show's co-creator Ryan Murphy told E! News. Its cast and crew are planning a memorial service next week at the Paramount Studios in Hollywood.