The tragic loss of Glee ‘s Naya Rivera in a drowning accident at Lake Piru in California has been devastating for all of those who knew and loved her. From her fans and family to her previous coworkers, the lives Naya touched were impacted greatly.
The Glee cast came together to show support for Naya and her family in a huge way.
Naya Rivera, 33, was reported missing on July 8 after disappearing during a boating outing with her four-year-old son.
After her son was found alone in her rental boat, the police confirmed that they were searching for Naya in Lake Piru in California. Her son reported that they had both gone swimming, but his mother had not gotten back in the boat afterwards.
Her son is currently safe and with family.
On July 13, the police confirmed that they had discovered Naya’s body.
Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Kevin Donoghue said , “Some of her cast members from Glee came to the lake and they were allowed to come down to the water’s edge, and they, as a group, they prayed for her. And it was shortly after that, that her body was located.”
Naya’s family recently broke their silence on this tragedy.
“We are so grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers for Naya, Josey and our family over the past week. While we grieve the loss of our beautiful legend, we are blessed to honor her everlasting legacy and magnetic spirit,” they said in a statement .
Her family also expressed gratitude toward all those who helped in the search for Naya.
“Thank you to the men and women of the Ventura, Tulare, and San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Departments for your commitment and unwavering effort to find Naya. We extend endless gratitude and ovation to the heroine who found her. Thank you to her friends, colleagues, and fans for your continuous support.”
Members of the *Glee* cast and other former co-workers of Naya’s gathered with her family in a heartbreaking moment.
Heather Morris, Amber Riley, Chris Colfer, and Kevin McHale were among the former Glee stars who arrived to hold hands with Naya’s family along the shore of Lake Piru, as well as Naya’s Step Up: High Water co-star, Terrence Green.
Green shared a photograph of Naya’s loved ones gathering at the lake on his Instagram story.
“We called out to you this morning… You answered…” he captioned the powerful shot.
Chris Colfer, who played Kurt on Glee , shared an emotional post as well: “Her brilliance and humor were unmatched. Her beauty and talent were otherworldly. She spoke truth to power with poise and fearlessness,” he wrote.
“She could turn a bad day into a great day with a single remark.”
“She inspired and uplifted people without even trying. Being close to her was both a badge of honor and a suit of armor. Naya was truly one of a kind, and she always will be. Sending all my love to her wonderful family and her beautiful son.”
Of significance, Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuck, and Ian Brennan, who created *Glee*, have made an amazing promise to Naya’s family.
The three released a statement saying, “We are heartbroken over the loss of our friend Naya Rivera. 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.”
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“Naya could act, she could dance and she could sing (could she ever sing!),” they wrote.
“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.”
“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. 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,” they continued.
“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,” they continued. “The three of us are currently in the process of creating a college fund for the beautiful son Naya loved most of all.”
What an awesome gesture we’re sure her family greatly appreciates.
Our thoughts are with Naya’s friends, family, and loved ones at this difficult time.
