The Mike Rinder they knew, from Lawrence Wright, John Sweeney and more Tony Ortega (see Emma's tribute) Jan 07, 2025

[Mike Rinder, gaunt from his imprisonment in The Hole, ‘handles’ the BBC’s John Sweeney in 2007]
Yesterday, we posted tributes from Alex Gibney, Spanky Taylor, Tracey McManus and others, but the messages keep coming with memories of Mike Rinder that we knew you would want to see…
Lawrence Wright, author of Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief. I met Mike Rinder in 2011, on a sweltering summer day in East Texas, at a meeting of former Scientologists. I was traveling with Axel Gerdau and Lauren Wolf, my Invaluable researchers on my book. Mike was a complicated man — charming, a wonderfully talented communicator, driven and relentless. I often thought how he might have become the head of a Fortune 500 company, or a charismatic politician. Instead, he had given the first part of his life to an organization that abused him and alienated his family from him. He willingly used those formidable talents of his to defend the Church of Scientology until the burden became too great, and he fled. He might have simply disappeared; instead, he set to work trying to undo the damage that the church had done. He did so with courage and candor, despite the harassment that followed. He was a brave man, and he became a good one.

John Sweeney, journalist.
Mike Rinder was an extraordinary enemy and then he became an even more
extraordinary friend. There was a moment after I lost my temper during
the shooting of Scientology & Me when I
pressed Mike, yet again, for an interview with David Miscavige and he
said no. I asked “Why not?” And he replied: “Because you're an
arsehole.” Sarah Mole and Bill Browne — producer and cameraman — burst
out laughing, as did I. We all got the feeling that Mike wanted to be in
our gang because we could laugh at ourselves. And in his gang, that was
verboten.
When he walked across the bridge by St Paul's for our second film, Scientology: Secrets of the Stars,
it was an amazing moment. The messages from Miscavige: “YS. YS. YS.” =
You suck. You suck. You suck. And “YSCOHB” = You Suck Cock On Hollywood
Boulevard. This is the word of the Church of Scientology.
Mike
lived two lives and the second, incomparably, was better than the
first. I was honoured to be invited to his wedding to Christie. Me being
an SP an all, it was like inviting the Devil. But it soon became a
festival of laughter, with me having to do endless selfies with
ex-Scientologists recreating the shout.
Out of the grips of the
cult, Mike grew. He was humble. He was gracious. And his apology for
doing wrong was utterly sincere. When he was enemy I feared him; when he
became my friend, I loved him.
His courage facing death was remarkable. Mike Rinder was a true and proper man.


Claire Headley. On January 5,
2025, at 9:30 a.m., we lost a true hero, a legend, a warrior, a
survivor, a husband, a father, our family of choice, an amazing person,
and a friend in the truest sense of the word. Mike Rinder, you will
always be loved, always be missed, and you will always be celebrated. Do
you believe in second chances? Well, I do. And god damn it, Mike, you
made the most of your second chance like none I’ve ever seen.
You
were dragged into an abusive and dangerous cult as a child. Your
response? You did as many humans would do — myself included — you worked
hard to excel, to make your family proud, to commit to a cause, and
doing so led you to some very dark places indeed. What makes you unique,
Mike, is that you knew the dangers of this abusive organization better
than most — firsthand. And yet, when your opportunity came to escape,
you turned right around and fought back, knowing full well the weight
the consequences of this would bear — on yourself, on your family, on
your loved ones. But you did it anyway, because you knew it was the
truly right and only honorable thing to do. It is a rare human who has
the courage, integrity, perseverance, and humility to walk out of a
fire, turn around, and walk right back in to save others.
While
Marc and I escaped before you, and while we experienced fair game at
your hand, we never once blamed you nor held any hard feelings toward
you. We knew full well the consequences of our decision to speak out,
just like you did. And if it wasn’t you, it would have been someone
else. We never doubted that for one second. We were just so grateful to
have the opportunity to reunite with you in the free world —something we
never imagined would happen until it did.
I
had the honor of knowing you for 23 years. I think it’s fair to say
that I saw you at your best and at your worst. Through it all, you were
special and unique. When I was at my utmost lowest point, banished to
the Hole in January 2005 and having lost my husband, you showed me
kindness and compassion, despite consequences, when no one else did. My
heart broke the many times I witnessed David Miscavige physically,
emotionally, and verbally abuse you, brutally. I’m so sorry I did not
stand up for you in those moments, even if it would have meant the end
of my story.
It has truly been my honor and blessing to count you
as a dear friend, as my family of choice, as my brother, as my fellow
warrior. You have always inspired me to keep going, to continue
advocating for victims, and to keep fighting for the end of Scientology
abuses, even as it was exhausting and took a huge toll on my mental
well-being, my safety, and my happiness. Mike, you inspire me to be a
better person; to keep fighting the good fight; to keep my head up with
the knowledge and commitment that I can do hard things, even when I
don’t believe in myself. You never once doubted me.
I don’t
remember the first time you coined the name “Claire Bear” for me, but
however many years ago that was, it stuck. You recognized me for who I
am, and while I will shed tears, I will lean into that and learn to
appreciate and respect the hole that has been left in my heart.
You
are so very loved, Mike Rinder. We will take care of Christie and your
boys as you asked. Sweet Christie, I love you to the moon and back, more
than my own sisters. Shane and Jack, you will be our family forever. We
love you as the auntie and uncle Scientology deprived you of. And Mike,
thank you for your incredibly beautiful vision: I well remember our
conversation back in 2013, where we talked about the impact of
disconnection on our kids. “What if we spend time together, vacation
together, and have our kids grow up as cousins?” you suggested. Of
course, we immediately loved the idea, and so it came to be.
Fuck
you, Scientology and David Miscavige. Mike Rinder is a legend and will
always be a legend. He leaves behind a legacy of love, integrity,
advocacy, and truth, and you will never take that
away. I commit to continuing to fight this fight, even when I feel the
need to bow my head in exhaustion, in Mike’s honor. Mikey, I am truly so
grateful I was able to be with you to the end. We love you deeply,
brother! Rest easy. We’ve got this. Fly high.


Janis Gillham Grady. As teenagers on the Apollo,
with our families torn apart, many of us formed a bond and created a
family of our own choosing, so even after 50 years, Mike was my brother.
While some see differently than I, Mike was basically a gentle and
caring soul but sometimes that gentleness is destroyed by abuse which
can cause people to do things that is not normal to their being — that
happened with Mike and thankfully out of desperation, he found a way to
leave the abuse and start a new life from nothing. From this new life,
Mike rose to the occasion by taking a lead to help others who had been
through the same or similar abuse he had gone through. He was a fighter
for a good cause as he lead the charge. His fight will be continued and
he will not be forgotten. See you down the road my brother, but not for
many years while I continue with our cause. Taryn and BJ, it’s a shame
you allowed your minds to be poisoned towards a father who dearly loved
you both. My love and condolences to his wonderful wife, Christie, and
sons Shane and Jack.


Mark Fisher: I was 19 the first
time I saw Mike in Clearwater at the Flag Land Base. I thought he looked
like the coolest guy in the Sea Org! I got to know him, a few years
later, up at the secret Gold Base where we both were in training. He
impressed me as extremely smart, confident, friendly and very funny.
After escaping from Scientology, we were the subject of years of Fair
Gaming by Scientology and Mike had been involved to some degree..
However, years later, when he also left Scientology, he was extremely
helpful to me in confirming what had been done at the direction of
Miscavige and was apologetic to me and many others. We stayed in touch
and I helped him over the years, providing information in his fight to
expose Scientology abuses to law enforcement, courts and the media. His
contributions have been invaluable and paved the way for others to
continue in exposing the abuses of Miscavige and Scientology.


Michelle “Emma” Ryan.
When I was arrested in 2010, Karen reached out to me and put me in
touch with Mike. We talked about tactics and what Scientology would
likely do next. He offered to write me affidavits and even be a witness
for me if it ever went to trial. Bear in mind, Mike didn’t really know
me at all and yet was willing to go to great lengths to help me.
I’ve
been out of Scientology watching for the most part since 2019. Being
involved in Scientology from 1994 to 2001, and then activism from 2007
to 2019 broke me. Mike spent his entire life either in it or fighting
it, but he never broke. He had and will always will have my utmost
respect.
I had my own cancer journey in 2023. The chemo, the
operations, the radiation. It’s terrifying and he went through it with
courage and grace.
He was a legend.

Brendan Tighe.
My thoughts are nowhere near anything to do with Scientology but more
how organic my friendship with Mike grew over the years as two fathers
and husbands moving on from our shared pasts to something much more
fulfilling. He was absolutely wonderful around children and would light
up like a Christmas tree when he greeted my children. Those are the type
of core memories I have with Mike.
When my wife Kelly was
pregnant with our first child we would regularly spend time with the
Rinders, joining them for frequent Sunday brunches. Mike would
absolutely dote on Kelly and just adored her. Kelly was equally fond of
Mike and loved his accent. When our daughter was born and Mike met her,
she instantly took a liking to him and seemed to recognize his voice
right away. We all got a good laugh out of that.
In more recent
times we would regularly see Mike at our local soccer and baseball field
where our kids were enrolled. Our son would get so excited every time
he got the chance to see Mike and update him on every little detail in
his life. Mike seemed to love every minute of it.
Our kids miss him dearly.
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