The actor posted a heartfelt message remembering the 'Glee' star on the one-year-anniversary of when she was laid to rest.
Ryan Dorsey is honoring Naya Rivera.
The 38-year-old actor took to Instagram on Saturday to remember his ex-wife, and mother of his son Josey, a year after she was laid to rest. Ryan posted a black-and-white collage of their 5-year-old son, as well as photos of Naya with a baby Josey.
"Today…A year ago we laid you to rest. I still can’t believe it. The year has flown by, so fast that it doesn’t seem like it’s been a year at all. Our boy has grown so much. He’s such an explorer, so inquisitive. He’s sweet, so funny, and his laugh always lights up the room," Dorsey began. "He’s an intuitive soul to say the least. To know him is to love him, everyone that meets him is always smiling. He’s doing ok. He’s such a resilient strong kid."
Dorsey added that Josey misses his mom "but knows he’ll see you again, and the invisible string is something that’s helped us out during this ever-evolving transition of your time with us on earth that was unfairly & for reasons we’ll never understand cut short…too soon…"
The actor noted that the month of July will most likely be a "strange and difficult month in the years that are hopefully plentiful in the future." Dorsey wrote that it's still difficult to see photos or read or watch anything with Naya.
"As the years go by, strength will be on my side as I will share the memories with what is the brightest star of your legacy left on this earth, our beautiful son, Josey," he wrote. "The thumbs up…only [seemed] right. I remember the first time he did it back to you. At jujitsu, you gave him a thumbs up and he returned the gesture…it was so sweet. Maybe it’s silly and doesn’t make sense to be doing this on IG and putting this out there, but so is this whole thing. So there’s that…"
Dorsey concluded by sending a message to anyone who has gone through a similar loss, writing, "You know there’s not really any words that make it better…we know some days are better than others…but know our hearts and energy are with you. We keep going, because that’s all we can do while being as strong as we can be. 🙏❤️❤️❤️❤️."
July 8 marked the one-year anniversary of Naya's death. The actress went missing following a boat ride with her then-4-year-old son, Josey, on California's Lake Piru. Her body was recovered five days later. Her death was ruled an accidental drowning.
The late Glee actress was honored with a private funeral and laid to rest at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles on July 24, 2020. A source told ET at the time that Naya's funeral service was very small, about 25 family members and close friends, including Glee cast members.
Earlier this month, Naya's mother, Yolanda Previtire, and sister Nickayla, reflected on her life and legacy in an emotional interview with ABC News' Juju Chang and Good Morning America.
"Sometimes we're afraid of the sorrow being so heavy that we're afraid for our own self, 'cause this is hard. There are no words to describe what we're going through," Yolanda expressed of her grief. "All we know is we have each other."
Last month, ET sat down with Naya's father, George, where he opened up about how becoming a mom changed his daughter.
"He really became everything for her. Her focus was really on him and he was growing up as she was becoming a mother, she really leaned into that, really leaned into that and the word I want to use is maturity," he emotionally expressed. "She became very mature as a person and really receptive to other people's feelings."
See more in the video below.
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