Nearly five years after the tragic death of Naya Rivera, the Glee star's ex-husband has opened up about the heartbreaking details surrounding her final moments.
On July 8, 2020, the late actress and her then-four-year-old son Josey went swimming at Lake Piru in Southern California, having rented a pontoon boat for a private outing.
Tragically, Rivera never returned to shore and was declared missing. Her body was discovered five days later, on July 13, following a large-scale search operation.
An official incident report revealed that the 33-year-old drowned due to exhaustion from trying to help her son back onto the boat, with The Hollywood Reporter confirming the details.
Naya Rivera has tragically passed away at the age of 33. Credit: Jeff Vespa / Getty
Josey’s Heartbreaking Memory of the Incident
In a new interview with PEOPLE, Rivera's ex-husband, Ryan Dorsey, spoke about the fatal incident and how the loss continues to affect him and their young son, Josey.
“When it happened, I just found myself shaking my head, like, 'I can't believe she's gone,'" he told the outlet. "It's still so surreal every day."
The father revealed that the now-10-year-old continues to recall a specific heartbreaking memory from that day: “Something he’s said over and over is that he was trying to find a life raft, and there was a rope, but there was a big spider on the rope, and he was too scared to throw it.
"I keep reassuring him, ‘Buddy, that rope wasn’t going to be long enough,'” he added.
The devastation of the Step Up: High Water star's final moments also weighed heavily on Dorsey, who explained that Josey’s memory of his mother’s last words has haunted him.
“He said that the last thing she said was his name, and then she went under, and he didn’t see her anymore," Dorsey says. "It just rocks my world that he had to witness her last moments.”
Josey still feels guilt for being unable to save his mom. Credit: Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images
Dorsey reflected on the possible causes of Rivera’s drowning, calling it a “freak occurrence,” possibly involving underwater brush or a strong undercurrent.
“I’d like to think if I had been there, I could’ve saved her,” he admitted. “But maybe we both could have ended up in danger. I’ll never know.”
The Lawsuit Following Rivera’s Death
The aftermath of the Glee icon's death led to a wrongful death lawsuit filed by her estate, with Dorsey acting on behalf of their son.
According to Sky News, in 2022, they filed a suit against Ventura County, claiming the boat Rivera rented lacked proper safety equipment. The lawsuit called her death "utterly preventable," highlighting that the boat's lack of life-saving features contributed to the tragedy.
The suit also pointed to the fact that over two dozen people have died in the lake since 1959. The plaintiffs claimed there were no signs warning of the lake’s strong currents.
In response, Ventura County argued that Rivera had declined to wear a lifejacket, which had been provided with the boat.
The case was eventually settled, with lawyer Amjad M. Khan issuing a statement on behalf of the family: “Through this settlement, Josey will receive just compensation for having to endure the drowning of his beloved mother at Lake Piru. Though the tragic loss of Josey's mother can never truly be overcome, we are very pleased that the monetary settlement will significantly assist Josey with his life beyond this tragedy."