The Noax 'Puck' Puckerman depicter on 'Glee' allegedly 'distanced himself very much from the friends he was closest to' as friends believed that he was 'troubled and tormented.'
- Feb 1, 2018
AceShowbiz - Details of Mark Salling's finals days are here, and it's so heartbreaking. The "Glee" alum, who was found dead in an apparent suicide by hanging at a park near his home in the northeast San Fernando Valley on Tuesday morning, January 30, reportedly "distanced himself very much from the friends he was closest to."
A source tells Entertainment Tonight that Salling "would often have friends over to his home in Sunland, [California]" before he was arrested for possession of child pornography back in December 2015. The source adds that the 35-year-old actor "was himself the most when he was at home."
Salling reportedly had "a bird sanctuary in his backyard where he rescued birds then rehabiliated them." The source recalls, "He was very proud of that."
While his friends weren't aware how much he was depressed, they believed that Salling was "troubled and tormented," adding that Salling possessed "a very mysterious side." The source continues, "I felt like I didn't completely know who he was."
According to the source, Salling would visit his family in Texas and "saw his trips back home as an escape from L.A. and the Hollywood scene."
Another source tells E! News that the actor "isolated himself in that house in Sunland." The source also describes Salling as "a very depressed, lonely human," adding that "he had demons he was wrestling with for many years."
Following Salling's passing, his parents, John and Condy, are said to be "devastated." A source reveals to PEOPLE, "His parents are doing as well as anyone in this situation can do. They're from Texas and are very church-driven."
"Mark's mom had a hard time even grasping the reality of his dark past, so accepting his death--she's a mess," the source adds.
Salling's attorney confirmed his passing on Tuesday in a statement which read, "I can confirm that Mark Salling passed away early this morning. Mark was a gentle and loving person, a person of great creativity, who was doing his best to atone for some serious mistakes and errors of judgment. He is survived by his mother and father, and his brother. The Salling family appreciates the support they have been receiving and asks for their privacy to be respected."
Coroner Assistant Chief Ed Winter confirmed that Salling "was found hanging from a tree in the area of the Los Angeles River in Sunland." Salling was pronounced dead at the scene at 9 A.M.
Salling, who played Noah "Puck" Puckerman on FOX's musical series "Glee", had been staying under the radar as he awaited sentencing after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography involving prepubescent minors. He was arrested in 2015 after investigators found more than 50,000 images of child porn and child erotica on his personal computer. The prosecution recommended 4 to 7 years in prison under the plea deal.
