The Untold Truth Of Mark Salling

Former Glee star Mark Salling's life came to an untimely end on Jan. 30, 2018, following a dark sequence of events that included disturbing criminal charges and pending jail time for the disgraced actor. 

Salling played football jock Noah "Puck" Puckerman on the hit Fox show from 2009 to 2015.

Here's what we know so far about the 35-year-old's shocking death, the events leading up to it, and his loved ones reactions.

In October 2017, TMZ reported that Salling cut his wrists in a likely suicide attempt that August. However, after cutting himself, Salling "freaked out," a source claimed, and called his roommate, who then called 911. Salling was taken to a hospital via ambulance and reportedly kept on a psychiatric hold temporarily, followed by a stay in a rehabilitation center to help cope with his psychological issues. The report claimed that Salling's arms were scarred from the alleged suicide attempt, leading him to wear long sleeves even in blistering Los Angeles heat. 

However, Salling's attorney told TMZ that story was "inaccurate," though he wouldn't go into detail except to add, "Mark is physically fine and Mark is spending his time atoning and working on himself."

According to Deadline, Salling was scheduled to be sentenced on March 7, 2018 and "expected to spend 4 to 7 years in prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release and registry as a sex offender."

As a registered sex offender, Salling was barred from any and all communication with anyone under the age of 18 unless in the presence of a parent or legal guardian. He was prohibited from being within 100 feet of schools, parks, public swimming pools, video arcades, and playgrounds, reported The Blast.

After being indicted for child pornography charges, Salling was axed from the movie Adi Shankar's Gods and Secrets (2018), in which Salling played a villain, reported TMZ. The film was already partially shot and produced when the indictment came down. Director Adi Shankar footed the bill for recasting and reshooting Salling's role and pledged to donate a percentage of the film's proceeds to children's charities. 

In May 2016, Shankar issued a statement that said, in part: "Child abuse is a cultural cancer whose tentacles penetrate far deeper than a single celebrity caught with illicit images on his computer ... Child abuse is a democratic disease existing across socioeconomic lines affecting every walk of life. It affects all of us, and more importantly, its existence needs to cece [sic] to exist. Period."

In January 2013, model Roxanne Gorzela accused Salling of forcing her to have sex with him without a condom, reported TMZ. She claimed that when she went to his house to confront him about allegedly giving her an STD, she found him in bed with another woman. Gorzela said in court documents that she demanded Salling prove he was "clean," at which point she accused him of slamming her to the ground.

Salling's rep told TMZ at the time, "There is no truth to this. It's the textbook case of a disgruntled girl looking to cash in on a TV star's success." Salling countersued Gorzela, accusing her of scratching his car and breaking into his home.

Salling and Gorzela eventually settled, with his insurance company agreeing to pay Gorzela $64,155 for past medical bills, $666,000 for future medical bills, $180,000 in non-economic damages, and $1.8 million for pain and suffering — that's a grand total of $2.7 million, according to TMZ.

A source told Entertainment Tonight that Salling suffered from alcohol addiction and confided in friends following a stay in rehab. The source claimed Salling was working hard to understand and fix his "demons," adding that he was trying hard to stay mentally and emotionally healthy and stable leading up to what would have been his March 2018 sentencing.

Insiders said Salling's family members are understandably devastated by his death also weren't aware of his myriad issues until they became a matter of public record.

"He grew up in a really loving and supportive home with incredible parents," a source close to the Salling family told People. "He had a great relationship with them but was also particularly close with his grandmother, whom he loved dearly. They wanted the best for him and wanted to make sure he was pursuing his dreams and being responsible."

The source added, "His loved ones — actual loved ones — were absolutely shocked [at the child pornography case]. In the last few years, we had very little contact. When you're living against your own morals or what you know to be right, you tend to avoid people who will hold up mirrors. ... The problem doesn't live in the existence of demons or pain or sexual appetites that began to skew as time went on. The inherent problem is that he did not seek help or have someone close enough to him willing to call it out."

Sources told Us Weekly that Salling took Glee co-star Cory Monteith's untimely death from an accidental drug and alcohol overdose in 2013 very hard. "He was so heartbroken and hurt by Cory's death," an insider said.

Monteith was 31 years old at the time of his death. According to Us Weekly, he had sought treatment for his substance abuse at a rehab facility just months before he was found dead in a hotel room in Vancouver.

Aurélie Wynn, who accused Gossip Girl star Ed Westwick of sexual assaulting her, said that when the alleged incident with Westwick happened in July 2014, she was in a relationship with Salling.

"I told the guy I was seeing that I got raped, Mark Salling, and when he found out by who he pretended not to know him, then blamed me for it and broke it off with me," Wynn wrote on Facebook (via Page Six). "My other friends and people around me told me it was best not to say anything, to not be 'that girl' and that no one would believe me and think I was just out trying to get my 10 seconds of fame."

Westwick denied the allegations; Salling never commented.

The Glee family is devastated by Salling's death. Star Jane Lynch told TMZ that his passing was "sad and very tragic," adding that she would remember Salling "as the guy who made that really sweet video in the beginning of Glee when he was so happy to be a part of this group. It's tragic and I'm brokenhearted over it."

Matthew Morrison posted a snapshot on Instagram with Salling and Monteith, which he captioned with two angel emojis and a sad emoji.

Glee director Paris Barclay tweeted a photo of Monteith and Salling on the set of the show, writing, "It's a painful loss, again. Two young actors, lost too soon."

Iqbal Theba, who played Principal Figgins on the series, tweeted, "Oh Mark."

Glee Producer Tim Davis shared his thoughts on Twitter (via Page Six): "Yes he committed crimes against children. But #MarkSalling was a broken man, no doubt an abuse victim himself. I loved Mark, and am sad when I consider the devastation of his parents. PLEASE withhold your cruel comments." Davis added, "Let me be clear. Having compassion for #MarkSalling in no way minimizes his crimes, nor does it minimize the pain and devastation of the victims of those crimes. I'm just saying stop adding to his family's pain. This was their son. If you're without sin, feel free to cast stones."