In Memoriam

Naya Rivera Honored by Heather Morris and Other ‘Glee' Stars 2 Years After Her Death

Heather Morris, Kevin McHale and Jenna Ushkowitz were among the many stars to pay tribute to Naya Rivera on Instagram, two years after she tragically drowned in Lake Piru while boating with her son

naya rivera
Photo by Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images

Gone but not forgotten.

Two years after the tragic death of Naya Rivera, the late actress' former "Glee" co-stars flooded Instagram with heart-warming tributes.

Heather Morris, who played cheerleader Brittany Pierce -- the love interest of Rivera's character Santana Lopez -- on the beloved Fox series, posted two sweet throwback photos of the duo.

"Everyday my angel," she wrote on July 8. "I miss you every damn day."

In one pic, Morris and Rivera pose for a selfie while making goofy faces. In another image, Rivera rocks a top hat while Morris sports red sunglasses and a brunette wig.

Jenna Ushkowitz honored her late former co-star by posting a black-and-white photo of the actress dancing, while Kevin McHale shared a pic of Rivera smiling ear-to-ear on a boat with the caption, "The best there ever was forever & ever."

On July 8, 2020, Rivera disappeared while on a daytime boating trip on Lake Piru near Los Angeles with her son Josey. After the actress failed to return a rented pontoon boat, authorities found the then 4-year-old on board alone, wearing a life jacket.

Naya Rivera: Life in Pictures

A search-and-rescue team recovered Rivera's body from the lake five days later. After completing an autopsy, the Ventura County Medical Examiner determined the cause of her death to be accidental drowning.

Earlier this year, on what would have been Rivera's 35th birthday, Josey's father Ryan Dorsey opened up about the highs and lows of the grief he still feels today.

"At least once a day I find myself shaking my head, like it's still unbelievable, so surreal that she's gone," he wrote in a Jan. 12 statement to People. "It's hard to write this, tears coming out my eyes. Unf--king real."

But with the tears, the "Big Sky" actor, 38, who was married to Rivera from 2014 to 2018, continues to find moments of happiness, especially when he looks at their now 6-year-old son.

"She knew how willing Josey was to share his things but she'd be so proud to see how he'll give things he loves away to friends or donate them," Dorsey shared. "He has this unique literal laugh-out-LOUD cackle of laugh when he's watching TV that's kind of obnoxiously endearing like hers was, but his even more so. No matter your mood, it would make anyone smile if you heard it."

That month, he also paid tribute to his ex on Instagram by sharing a black-and-white photo of Naya smiling with their son.

"You would've been XXXV," Dorsey captioned the pic, along with what appears to be a poem. "Able to finally look at a couple videos today, I guess you can say I'm doing better...but better is just a better word for forever sad, this s--t is unbelievable forever."

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