Six days after she went missing at California’s Lake Piru, actor Naya Rivera was pronounced dead by Ventura County Sheriff’s Office on Monday. The Glee actor’s body was discovered floating near the surface of the lake in Southern California. Naya is survived by her parents, Yolanda and George, younger brother Mychal, sister Nickayla and her 4-year-old son Josey.
As per authorities, Josey told investigators that Rivera boosted him back on to their rented boat and he saw his mother disappearing under water. “She must have mustered enough energy to get her son back on the boat, but not enough to save herself,” Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub said. Authorities also claim that Rivera was not wearing a life vest, and it was an accident. They assume that her body was trapped in the vegetation under the lake for several days before floating to the top, since divers had searched that part of the lake thoroughly before, where her body was eventually found. The FaceTime videos, which she did with her family from the boat before the accident took place, helped the search teams.
Naya Rivera is best known for playing a gay cheerleader named Santana Lopez in the Fox musical-comedy Glee for six seasons from 2009 to 2015. Glee cast and crew members have been sharing their tributes for Rivera. Actor Jane Lynch wrote on Twitter, “Rest sweet, Naya. What a force you were.” Co-creator of Glee, Steven Canals posted on Twitter, “I’ll never be able to articulate the importance of seeing Naya, a Black Puerto Rican, portraying a queer Afro-Latina on primetime TV. I’m heartbroken over all the stories that will remain untold. #RIPNayaRivera.”
"I am truly heartbroken to hear of the confirmed loss of this amazingly talented woman. I have watched her shine since she was a little girl on #TheRoyalFamily. She deserved to have a long life full of every good thing. I’m gutted that that will never be. #RIPNayaRivera," tweeted Yvette Nicole Brown.
"My heart is heavy with the loss of Naya Rivera. She was a mother, daughter, sister, friend, and inspiration to many. My thoughts and prayers go out to her son, family and friends. Rest in peace beautiful," tweeted actor Zoe Saldana.
"She was bold. She was outrageous. She was a LOT of fun.â£
Naya made me laugh like no one else on that set. I always said it while we were working together and I’ve maintained it ever since. Her playful, wicked sense of humor never ceased to bring a smile to my face.⣠She played by her own rules and was in a class of her own. She had a brashness about her that I couldn’t help but be enchanted by. I also always loved her voice, and savored every chance I got to hear her sing. I think she had more talent than we would have ever been able to see," wrote Glee co-star Darren Cris on Instagram.
"My favorite duet partner. I love you. I miss you. I don’t have words right now, just lots of feelings. Rest In Peace Angel, and know that your family will never have to worry about anything," wrote Amber Riley as she shared this video.
"Thank you for what you gave the world. I love you," tweeted singer Kristin Chenoweth.
"The reason songbird by fleetwood mac is one of my favorite songs ever is because of the glee soundtrack version. she transformed it. ðŸ™ðŸ¼ Rest Easy Naya Rivera. God cover and hold her loved ones!" tweeted artiste Kehlani.
Demi Lovato wrote, "RIP Naya Rivera. I'll forever cherish the opportunity to play your girlfriend on Glee. The character you played was groundbreaking for tons of closeted (at the time) queer girls like me, and your ambition and accomplishments were inspiring to Latina women all over the world."
Lea Michele shared this image of Naya Rivera on her Instagram story as she remembered the late actor.
"I am failing miserably to process this news. I always imagined old future senior members where we would hear your infectious laughter down the hall knowing that our funny bone was in for a treat. To many people, myself included, you were the life of the party. Not only able to rock when fun was to be had after a long day but that shining friend that was always willing to listen, offer sympathy, perspective and at times, give much needed levity to any situation," Glee actor Harry Shum Jr shared in an Instagram post.
"This is an absolute nightmare. I had the pleasure of having dinner with her once after a recording session we did together and she was an absolute sweetheart. My heart goes out to her family and friends. I hope I’m lucky enough to meet you up in heaven. Rest In Peace Naya Rivera," tweeted Bebe Rexha.
"My heart breaks for Naya Rivera, her son Josey and their whole family as they grieve such an unspeakable loss tonight. The world has lost one strong woman who spent her final moments saving her son. The ultimate expression of a mother’s love..." shared writer Melissa Blake in a Twitter post.
"I never met Naya Rivera but was a huge fan of her in Glee. What she did on that show was so incredibly important. I can’t even imagine the pain of those who knew and loved her. My thoughts are with them... especially her little boy. 😢 #RIPNayaRivera," tweeted actor Nathalie Emmanuel.
"Had the honor of dressing Naya a few times and she even attended one of my shows. Naya was such a beautiful light, so lovely and chic. She will forever be missed. Sending love to her family," designer Christian Siriano tweeted.
"My heart is broken.. I truly had soo much fun filming this little segment... we both clearly didn’t wanna be there but made the most of it! Naya was truly a star.." Alex Newell wrote in an Instagram post.
"For having such tiny body, Naya had such a gigantic presence, a void that will now be felt by all of us - those of us who knew her personally and the millions of you who loved her through your TVs. I love you, Bee," actor Kevin McHale wrote on Twitter.
"How can you convey all your love and respect for someone in one post? How can you summarize a decade of friendship and laughter with words alone? If you were friends with Naya Rivera, you simply can’t. Her brilliance and humor were unmatched. Her beauty and talent were otherworldly. She spoke truth to power with poise and fearlessness. 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," Chris wrote in a touching tribute on Instagram.
Actor Jenna Ushkowitz put out an Instagram post along with a click with Naya Rivera. Her caption read, "There are no words and yet so many things I want to say, I don't believe I'll ever be able to articulate exactly what I feel but... Naya, you were a âš¡ï¸ force and everyone who got to be around you knew it and felt the light and joy you exuded when you walked into a room. You shined on stage and screen and radiated with love behind closed doors. I was lucky enough to share so many laughs, martinis and secrets with you. I can not believe I took for granted that you'd always be here. Our friendship went in waves as life happens and we grow, so I will not look back and regret but know I love you and promise to help the legacy of your talent, humor, light and loyalty live on. You are so loved. You deserved the world and we will make sure Josey and your family feel that everyday. I miss you already."
Jenna Ushkowitz is known for playing Tina Cohen-Chang on the Fox comedy-drama series Glee.
Co-creator of Glee, Steven Canals tweeted, "I'll never be able to articulate the importance of seeing Naya, a Black Puerto Rican, portraying a queer Afro-Latina on primetime TV. I'm heartbroken over all the stories that will remain untold. #RIPNayaRivera"
Max Adler, who is know for playing Dave Karofsky in Glee also took to Twitter and wrote, 'Hey, July 13th....🖕'
American actor Becca Tobin shared a click with Naya Rivera on her Ibstagram handle. Becca plays the character of Kitty Wilde in Glee. She captioned the image as, "Naya was insanely talented, breathtakingly gorgeous, and one of the wittiest people I’ve ever met, but the legacy she left behind for me is her kindness. I joined the cast of Glee in the third season and as the newcomer, I was intimidated and terrified. The cast was already such a tight-knit group who had been working incredibly hard together for over three years to make it a hit show and I never expected any of them to have time for me. To my surprise, Naya, one of the most beloved by the rest of the cast (and the entire world), showed me instant warmth and kindness. She invited me to parties and gatherings and was always there to give advice. She was a superstar who had nothing to gain from being kind to the new girl, but she was and that changed this new girl’s entire experience on that show. I will forever be grateful to that beautiful human. My heart goes out to her family and her sweet boy. â¤ï¸"
Jane Lynch, better know for her role of Sue Sylvester in Glee, remembered Naya Rivera on Twitter. She wrote, "Rest sweet, Naya. What a force you were. Love and peace to your family."
Known for playing the recurring role of Principle Figgins in Glee, Pakistani-American actor Iqbal Theba put up an emoji of a broken heart, reacting to the news of Naya Rivera's demise.
Vanessa Lengies, known for playing Sugar Motta in Glee shared a video on Instagram where she is reciting a poem for Naya Rivera.
American actor Josh Sussman, who played the character of Jacob Ben Israel in Glee, tweeted, "Naya, you will be missed so much."