Cory Monteith was a Virgin Unite Ambassador seeking to end the plight of homeless youth when he suddenly passed away on July 13 at the age of 31. Now, to honor his memory, Virgin CEO Richard Branson has written a letter asking readers to continue that commitment.

"Cory Monteith was a beautiful soul. His awareness of his own struggles led him to reach out to young people all over the world with deep compassion and empathy to help them through their struggles," Branson wrote on the Huffington Post.

The 'Glee' actor worked with homeless young people across Canada and in the United Kingdom (see video above), and according to Branson he gave "a lifeline of hope to young people who were overwhelmed that he took the time to walk beside them to listen and share his own story."

"It is with with deep sadness that we join with others to thank Cory for all he did to make a difference in other young people's lives ... and [I] call upon all of us to continue this work to ensure that millions of young people no longer live on the streets."

In May of last year, Monteith also teamed up with Virgin Mobile to help create Project Limelight, an initiative focusing on the importance of the arts and arts education in schools -- something he once credited with turning his life around. (In fact, Cory met with Project Limelight co-founder Maureen Webb just two days before his death.)

"We mourn the loss of a lovely human being with a big heart who moved mountains to make the world a better place," concluded Branson. "All of our thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones."

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