Leah Remini shares emotional tribute after “Scientology and the Aftermath” cohost Mike Rinder's death: 'Saved my life'

Actress Leah Remini has shared an emotional tribute to her late friend and Scientology and the Aftermath cohost Mike Rinder, following news that the former high-ranking Scientologist turned critic of the religion died Sunday at 69.

The King of Queens star, who partnered with Rinder to probe their controversial ex-religion across three seasons of the Emmy-winning docuseries, credited him with saving her life in a heartfelt statement posted to social media Monday.

"On Sunday, we lost a giant, and I lost a man who was more than a friend — he was my family," Remini wrote alongside a photo of the pair. "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. When I left Scientology, Mike was one of the first people I turned to. From that moment, he became my lifeline. Together, we embarked on an incredible journey that included The Aftermath and our podcast, Fair Game. But Mike was so much more than my partner in this fight — he was my brother, my father, my best friend… in every way that mattered."

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Remini, who left the church in 2013, regularly credited Rinder with helping her navigate post-Scientology life, and the duo often spoke about their personal experiences as they highlighted others' stories with the church on Aftermath, which launched in 2016.

"Mike saved my life and the life of my daughter. 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," Remini continued in her statement. "I haven't yet come to terms with the reality that I can't call him, text him, or hear his voice anymore. 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."

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Remini also credited Rinder with helping "countless others" as they too left the church, and pointed to his disconnection from his older children, Taryn and Benjamin, as a lingering effect from his exit from Scientology.

Still, she said that Rinder, who left the church in 2007, was "a man transformed" following his tenure as an executive-level leader at Scientology's Office of Special Affairs.

"In his post-Scientology life, Mike was a man transformed. He worked tirelessly to right the wrongs of his past and beyond. He owed no one anything," Remini said. "There was not one call that Mike didn't take, not one person Mike didn't try to help, despite the many heartbreaks he endured from those who needed him. Mike also became an incredible husband and an attentive, loving father to Jack and his stepson Shane."

Remini added that Rinder "was consumed with knowing he wouldn't be there to see" his 12-year-old son, Jack, "grow into adulthood," so she urged her followers to contribute to a college fund established for Jack's future.

"Please keep Mike's brave and devoted wife, Christie, their son Jack, and Mike's stepson Shane in your thoughts and prayers. They've lost a husband and father whose love knew no bounds, and I've lost someone whose presence in my life was irreplaceable," Remini wrote, before concluding the statement with a final message: "My Mikey, I will miss you every day, and I just don't know how to do it without you."

Scientology and the Aftermath won two Emmys, for Outstanding Informational Series or Special in 2017 and for Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special in 2020, with Rinder and Remini sharing the latter award.

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