Two weeks after Glee star Naya Rivera was confirmed dead due to a tragic drowning accident in a California lake, Rivera’s ex-husband, Ryan Dorsey, has issued his first statement about her passing. Posting to Instagram on July 25, the actor expressed gratitude for the “overwhelming love†he has received from friends, family, and fans, as well as the support being given to the couple’s 4-year-old son, Josey. “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. Life just isn’t fair. I don’t know what to say. I’m thankful for our times and our journey that brought us together and gave us the sweetest and kindest smart little boy we could ever hope for.â€
Rivera and Dorsey were married in 2014, and, following a tumultuous period in the public eye, finalized their divorce in 2018. “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,†he concluded. “He’ll never forget where he came from. We miss you. We will always love you. Love you Meep.†In addition to Dorsey, many of Rivera’s co-stars, friends, and admirers have been memorializing her life in the aftermath of her death.