Ryan Dorsey reveals how he talks to son Josey, 7, about ex-wife Naya Rivera after her death
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Ryan Dorsey is keen on preserving Naya Rivera's memories for their son. On E! News, Dorsey revealed how he handles challenging talks with his son Josey regarding his late ex-wife Naya Rivera. The actor, 39, who paid tribute to his ex-wife on her birthday in January stated his 7-year-old son still talks about the day his mother drowned in 2020 at the age of 33.
The actor recently opened out about the years after his ex-wife's drowning in July 2020 while on a boating trip with their then-4-year-old son Josey. The actor and the late 'Glee' star were parents to Josey, now 7 years old. And as Josey has grown older, the actor remarked that this experience has led to challenging discussions.
RELATED ARTICLES
Naya Rivera yelled 'help' before disappearing into water, her son told investigators
How did Naya Rivera die?
The 'Glee' star and the former couple's son, who was then four years old, were boating on Lake Piru in California when she accidentally drowned. On July 13, 2020, five days after going missing on a lake in California, authorities announced that the actress had died.
Authorities confirmed that when a rental facility employee found the boat after it was past the time for return, the kid was wrapped in a towel and wearing a life vest. The boat contained an adult-sized life jacket which indicated that Rivera was swimming without wearing a life jacket.
On January 12, when Rivera would have turned 36 years old, Dorsey offered an emotional tribute to her on social media.
View this post on Instagram
How is her 7-year-old son Josey coping?
Opening up about his son's social life, "A lot of the kids find out what his Dad does for work. They'll also find out about his Mom, which is always something that's tough to navigate," Dorsey, a guest star on the 'Magnum PI' episode airing on March 26, stated. "It's always a reminder of the obvious. Something that's never going to change is what happened and him having to deal with it daily. As he crosses these milestones as a kid growing up, kids talk about their Moms at school and dealing with his situation is very unique," Dorsey continued.
Josey has grown more interested in finding out more about his mother and what made her different in the nearly three years following Rivera's death. "He's never going to forget his Mom," the 'Pitch' actor said. "He's interested in watching things and looking at her work one day. That stuff will speak for itself and he'll really get to appreciate the impact she had on people and how talented she was and who his Mom was on the outside, not just in his home life."
View this post on Instagram
On what Josey has previously watched, he remarked, "I think the only stuff he's seen is what his other Grandma has shown him. I think he's seen some bits and pieces." Dorsey, who was married to Rivera from 2014 to 2018, confessed that he is still unable to present anything to Josey.
"To be honest, it's still extremely hard for me," Dorsey exclaimed. He explained how difficult it is for him to watch videos or photographs with the three of them or with Josey and her late mom Rivera. "Every now and then I'll make eye contact with these pictures, whether it's the three of us or just her and him. It's just really hard to accept, even though we're coming on three years," the 'Prettyface' actor added.
Josey doesn't hesitate to talk about the day his mom died, the 'Justified' alum revealed. Ryan stated, "I just give him a good squeeze and rub his head and kiss him on the cheek and tell him I love him," when his son talks about the fateful day in July 2020.
