"Trying to find a life raft” - Naya Rivera ex says son tried to save her life the day she drowned

Almost five years after Naya Rivera's tragic passing, her ex-husband, Ryan Dorsey shares details about their son's last moment with the Glee star before she drowned.

In an interview with People Magazine, the actor reflects on the heartbreaking day, sharing that their son Josey, who is now 9 years old still wrestles with immense guilt for not being able to do something.

"Something he's said over and over is that he was trying to find a life raft, and there was a rope, but there was a big spider on the rope, and he was too scared to throw it," Dorsey revealed.

He further adds:

"I keep reassuring him, 'Buddy, that rope wasn’t going to be long enough."

During the emotional interview, Dorsey also talked about how the strong winds that day had left their son hesitant to jump into the water, and he had asked "Oh, my God, are we going to die?", but they did after reassurance from Rivera, who said:

"Don't be silly."

While the mother-son duo were out swimming, Rivera quickly realized that the boat was not anchored, and had drifted away due to the heavy winds. Now, without an anchor or other floating devices in site, the former Glee star instructed her son to quickly make his way back to the boat.

Her son now recalls reaching for "the tanks" and using them to pull himself "around the boat". Rivera did everything in her power to get her son to safety, but lost her strength during the process, leading to her drowning.

Following the tragic incident, Ryan Dorsey filed a lawsuit on behalf of their son, claiming that the accident could be prevented, as negligence played a key role in her death. A settlement was later reached in 2022, in the wrongful death lawsuit against Ventura County.

"In Through this settlement, Josey will receive just compensation for having to endure the drowning of his beloved mother at Lake Piru," the Rivera family's lawyer, Amjad M. Khan said in a statement.

Dorsey shared in the interview that Rivera's final words were calling out Josey's name before she disappeared beneath the strong water currents.

“He said that the last thing she said was his name, and then she went under, and he didn’t see her anymore,”

The actor also expressed pain over the fact that their son had to witness the devastating moment alone.

“It just rocks my world that he had to witness her last moments.” he added.

The Pitch actor who was a long way from the place of the accident site, recalls the moment he got the news of Rivera's disappearance. The actor reveals that he collapsed into a pallet of drinks upon receiving the tragic news.

"I didn’t know what to think, but I feared the worst.” the actor said.

He further adds:

“I drove 100-and-­something the whole way with my four-way hazards on, chain-smoking cigarettes — and I don’t even smoke, really — and just crying. I just wanted to get to Josey.”

The actor, who is now raising Josey alone, admitted to treating Josey a little differently due to what he has been through and says that he makes a conscious effort to keep Naya Rivera's memory alive.

What exactly happened to Naya Rivera on that tragic day?

The actress had taken her son who was then 4 years old to Lake Piru, where she rented out a pontoon. After the boat drifted away, Rivera, who was an excellent swimmer managed to help her son on the boat but could not do the same for herself.

Authorities cited strong currents and the lake's long history of dangerous conditions as contributing factors to the tragic accident.

Her son was found asleep on the boat, while Rivera was still missing. After a massive five-day search, her body was recovered from a remote part of the lake.

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