The world was shocked and devastated by the news on July 8th that Glee star Naya Rivera had gone missing after her 4-year-old son Josey was found alone on a boat his mother had rented on Lake Piru in California. On July 13th, it was confirmed that Naya had tragically drowned at the age of 33.
Glee ‘s creators have come together for a very meaningful tribute to Naya.
RELATED STORIES
Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuck, and Ian Brennan, who created *Glee*, released an emotional statement on Naya’s passing that made a beautiful promise to her family.
“We are heartbroken over the loss of our friend Naya Rivera,” they wrote . “Naya wasn’t a series regular when we cast her on Glee . She didn’t have more than a few lines in the pilot. But it didn’t take more than an episode or two for us to realize that we had lucked into finding one of the most talented, special stars we would ever have the pleasure of working with.”
“Naya could act, she could dance and she could sing (could she ever sing!),” they continued.
“She could nail a joke as well as she could crush you with an emotional scene. She could move between being scary tough and deeply vulnerable with ease. She was a joy to write for, a joy to direct and a joy to be around,” they said.
“She was warm and caring and fiercely protective of the rest of the cast. She was tough and demanding. She was fun. She was kind. She was generous,” they added.
“There were ups and downs during the wonderful and stressful years we spent making Glee. We disagreed, we fought, we made up, then we fought some more, and then we made up again. The kinds of things that happen in a family. Naya was more than just an actor on our show – she was our friend.”
“Our hearts go out to her family, especially her mom Yolanda, who was big part of the Glee family and her son Josey,”
“The three of us are currently in the process of creating a college fund for the beautiful son Naya loved most of all.”
What a wonderful gesture for the three to make, and we’re sure Naya’s family appreciate it greatly at this difficult time.
