In the week since the untimely death of Glee star Cory Monteith tragically passed away at the age of 31, tributes have flooded in for the actor, his family, his friends, and his girlfriend, co-star Lea Michele.

Representatives for the young actress appealed for privacy following the heartbreaking news, and on Tuesday a second statement from her spokesperson read: "Lea is deeply grateful for all the love and support she's received from family, friends and fans.

"Since Cory's passing, Lea has been grieving alongside his family and making appropriate arrangements with them.

"They are supporting each other as they endure this profound loss together. We continue to ask the media to respect the privacy of Lea and Cory's family."

Early this morning, 26-year-old Lea was reportedly seen in public for the first time since Cory’s death, making a pilgrimage to the makeshift memorial site at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel where Cory died.

Flowers left by fans outside the hotel where Monteith passed away

All week fans have ben leaving flowers, notes, teddy bears and candles in memory of the young star.

Witnesses to Lea’s visit this morning claim that she was surrounded by bodyguards in a black SUV. One eyewitness, Rik Feydick who spoke to RadarOnline.com said;“I saw Lea about an hour after the family saw the body at the hospital. There were two huge SUVs out front and Lea was in the back seat of one, sitting between two bodyguards.

Monteith and his co-star fell for each other on the set of Glee

“Lea never got out of the vehicle,” the witness continued, but she stayed parked in front of the memorial for five to seven minutes.

Feydick approached the vehicle and told reporters, “I saw her in the backseat”, adding she looked “crushed.” The SUVs soon drove away once they realized they were being watched.

Earlier in the week Lea visited the hospital to view Cory's body, before attending a private cremation service for Cory along with his mother. 

A tribute left outside the hotel by one of Cory's many fans