Naya Rivera Ex-Husband Ryan Dorsey Breaks Silence After ‘Glee’ Star’s Tragic Death

Actor Ryan Dorsey broke his silence on Glee star Naya Rivera‘s death, more than two weeks after she was last seen. Rivera and Dorsey were married for four years and had a son, 4-year-old Josey. Rivera went missing on July 8 and her body was found after a five-day search. Josey was with his mother when she was last seen but was found safely.

Dorsey, who recently starred in Yellowstone, shared an old photo of Rivera cradling their son alongside his tribute. “This is so unfair…there’s not enough words to express the hole left in everyone’s hearts,” Dorsey wrote. “I can’t believe this is life now. I don’t know if I’ll ever believe it. You were just here… We were just in the back swimming with Josey the day before.” Dorsey repeated that life “just isn’t fair.”

Dorsey said he was “thankful” for the times the couple shared together and that their marriage “gave us the sweetest and kindest smart little boy we could ever hope for.” He recalled how Rivera often told him to stop using Snapchat, but he was happy he ignored that order because he now has several videos of Josey with his mother. “Life is all about good times and bad times but with Josey, it makes the bad a little less so because a part of you will always be with us,” Dorsey wrote. “He’ll never forget where he came from. We miss you. We will always love you. Love you Meep.”

In the end, Dorsey wrote to Rivera’s fans, thanking everyone for their support and apologizing for not responding sooner. “I’ll just say in closing, be kind to yourself, be kind to others, forgive…forget…don’t hold grudges….if you have nothing nice to say maybe try not to say anything. There’s peace in silence. Time on Earth is precious and you just never know….you never know what could happen,” Dorsey wrote, adding a reminder for everyone to “hold your loved ones close” and “cherish the times you have with those you care about.”

Rivera was last seen alive on July 8, when she rented a boat at Lake Piru in Ventura County, California to go swimming in the reservoir with Josey. Lake concession staff found Josey asleep in the boat but Rivera could not be immediately located. On July 13, authorities found Rivera’s body in the lake. Her cause of death was an accidental drowning.

Rivera and Dorsey married in 2014 and welcomed Josey in September 2015. The couple’s divorce was finalized in June 2018. In March, the two reached a new custody arrangement for Josey, agreeing to “equal timeshare to be mutually agreed upon by the parties consistent with the schedules of each Party and the minor child” and to equally divide holidays and vacations.