Leah Remini is "shattered" after the death of her close friend Mike Rinder

Leah wrote on Instagram: "On Sunday, we lost a giant, and I lost a man who was more than a friend-he was family.

"It's impossible to imagine the last 13 years of my life without Mike Rinder. He was my trusted partner and my closest confidant.

"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, and my best friend...

"Mike saved my life and the life of my daughter and he stood by me through battles that felt insurmountable.

"I haven't come to terms with the reality that I can't call him and hear his voice anymore. I am shattered in ways I never thought possible.

"I have cried endlessly and can't seem to move from my bed since coming home."

She described Rinder - who was raised a Scientologist from the age of five - as a "man transformed" after he left the church in 2007 aged 52.

She continued: "He worked tirelessly to right the wrongs of his past. There was not one call Mike didn't take; there was not one person Mike didn't try to help, despite the many heartbreaks he endured from those who needed him."

Leah - who noted she will miss her friend "every day" and doesn't know "how to do it without him" - described Rinder as "an amazing husband and an attentive, loving dad to Jack and his stepson Shane".

She added: "One of the many heartbreaks Mike suffered was the absence of his older kids who disconnected from him due to Scientology's cruel policies after he courageously escaped its abuse."