Oh my gosh, it absolutely broke my heart to see Josey, Naya’s sweet little boy, honor her memory yesterday. It was what would have been her 39th birthday, and he did something so touching! I can’t even imagine how hard it is for him, but it was beautiful to see him remembering his mom. It just makes me miss Naya so much!
The 42-year-old actor and his 10-year-old son went to Lake Piru and sent pink heart-shaped balloons floating into the air to remember her.
Ryan shared a sweet photo of the moment on his Instagram Story, writing, ‘So thankful for our little boy, @joseydorsey,’ and adding two prayer-hand emojis.
The actress, best known for her role in Glee, had a son named Josey with her former husband, Ryan, in September 2015. She passed away on July 8, 2020.
It was so moving to hear Ryan talk about how his son reacted to seeing his mom on screen. It really got to me – what a heartbreaking moment for him, and so bravely shared.
The actor shared that their son, Josey, who is ten years old, became emotional while watching a movie featuring Naya. The film was a 2011 documentary about the musical Glee, specifically the 3D concert movie version.
Ryan told People magazine that you could see a few tears in the man’s eyes as he watched the entire movie.
He acknowledged the situation was awful, but focused on the positive, saying, ‘He’s a resilient kid with plenty of stories to tell, and his mother’s legacy will live on through him.’
Ryan also shared that Josey gets emotional while looking at photos of his mother.
They created a memory book for Josey and placed it by his bedside. He was visibly moved to tears when looking through it during the holidays.
Naya played Santana Lopez for all six seasons of Glee, from 2009 until 2015.
She started her career young, first appearing in commercials on TV as a child actress and model.
The actress and Ryan first met in 2010. They briefly went their separate ways, but later reconnected and got married in 2014.
They welcomed their son, Josey, the next year before going their separate ways in 2018.
Naya died in July 2020 while swimming at the Lake Piru reservoir in Ventura County.
Locals say that 26 other people have drowned in the 130-foot-deep reservoir, which is known for its dangerous and unpredictable currents and whirlpools.
In 2022, Ventura County privately settled a lawsuit brought after the death of Dorsey, who had sued them because the boat he rented didn’t meet safety requirements.
The guest star from On Call recalled fainting at a Ralph’s grocery store in Big Bear when he learned Naya was missing. He immediately drove 100 miles per hour for 145 miles to Lake Piru and joined the five-day search for her.
He plans on writing more about the ‘monumental disaster’ in his upcoming memoir.
The couple, known for their rocky relationship, got married in Cabo San Lucas on July 19, 2014, with only 12 people present. Interestingly, this was the same day Naya was initially supposed to marry her former fiancé, Big Sean, before they broke up.
Ryan has spent the last two years living a more relaxed life back in West Virginia. During that time, his son, Josey, has been busy with sports, violin lessons, and performing in two plays at the Children’s Theatre of Charleston.
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2026-01-14 16:07