One Year Later, Family Holds ‘Heavy Grief’ Over Naya Rivera’s Sudden Death
Update July 8, 2021
It’s been a year since Naya Rivera suddenly died while out on Lake Piru with her young son. Family, friends, fans, and co-stars have kept her memory alive with sweet remembrances. Another part of the story that persists is the heartbreak that Rivera’s family still carries with them.
It has been a year since Naya Rivera’s death.
Rivera’s mom and sister opened up to Good Morning America in a recent interview about dealing with the grief. Rivera’s death was sudden and shocked the world when it started to make headlines. One year later, the sorrow and grief of Rivera’s death still overwhelms the family at times.
“Sometimes we’re afraid of the sorrow being so heavy that we’re afraid for our own self, ’cause this is hard. There are no words to describe what we’re going through,” Yolanda, Naya’s mother, told ABC News’ Juju Chang and “Good Morning America.” “All we know is we have each other.”
Yolanda said that the family participates in group therapy to help them cope with the collective trauma of Naya’s death. For her sister, Nickayla, the most helpful way in handling her grief is to live her life to the fullest every day.
Update: Naya Rivera’s body has been found in Lake Piru after she went missing last week. Rivera’s disappearance has sent shockwaves of grief throughout the entertainment community as days passed and authorities combed the lake.
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department confirmed that Naya Rivera’s body has been pulled from Lake Piru.
Naya Rivera was last seen July 8 when she rented a boat for an outing with her young son. Later that day, men on another boat found the rented boat with her son asleep by himself on the boat. The search for Rivera was frantic as family, friends, and fans publicly grieved the sudden disappearance.
Last week, the sheriff’s department told the public that it was unlikely Rivera’s body would resurface because of debris.
At a press conference, Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Kevin Donoghue said that the debris of trees and plants under the water could cause the body to be entangled under the surface. Coupled with the poor visibility underwater, Office Sgt. Donoghue was not optimistic about the department’s chances of finding the body.
“We’re putting our best foot forward to try and locate her. We’re using all the assets that are available to us. We’re using technology like sonar,” he said at the press conference. “We have experts who have dove this lake who know it inside and out, where debris pockets might be, we’re relying on their expertise to help us in that endeavor. We’re going to do everything we can to find her.”
Original: “Glee” star Naya Rivera is presumed dead after going missing in southern California. The actress was on a boat in Lake Piru with her 4-year-old son when she went missing July 8 in Ventura County.
Authorities are searching for Naya Rivera after going missing.
Naya Rivera is presumed dead after her young son was found alone in a boat in Lake Piru. The lake is in Los Padres National Forest in Ventura County. Rivera’s son was found asleep on the boat three hours after Rivera rented the boat for the mother-son outing. According to officials, the son said that he and Rivera went for a swim and that she didn’t get back on the boat. CNN reports that the child was wearing a life vest while an adult life vest was found on the boat.
The search was paused overnight between Wednesday and Thursday and resumed as a recovery mission.
Fans do not think that Ventura County Sheriff’s are doing enough in the search for the actress. Emotions are high as fans share their grief and shock at Rivera’s sudden disappearance. According to Deputy Chris Dyer, the water where the boat was found is about 40 feet deep and that wind is a big factor in that part of the lake.
Authorities have classified the search as a recovery in a signal that they believe Rivera to be dead.
A recovery mission means that authorities are looking to recover a body from the lake. The news has devastated Rivera’s friends and family who want her brought home safe. Her son is reportedly doing well and is with relatives as authorities search for his mother in the lake.
Celebrities are sending messages hoping for Rivera to be alive.
Rivera wrote a memoir titled “Sorry, Not Sorry,” which gives an intimate look into her life during and after “Glee.” The actress was open and honest in her memoir bringing up some of the darkest and toughest times she endured and how it shaped her in the years that followed.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Rivera’s loved ones.
This story is developing. mitú will report updates as they become available.
READ: Naya Rivera’s Memoir Talks About Abortion And Anorexia
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