Naya Rivera's ex-husband revealed that her 4-year-old son witnessed the final moments of the “Glee” star on July 8, 2020.
Georgie, who was four years old at the time of Rivera's own death, feels guilty for not being able to save her mother.
“What he said many times 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.” Ryan Dorsey told People magazine. “I keep reassuring him, “Buddy, that rope never got long enough.”
Hossie, now nine years old, recalls the windy atmosphere of the lake.
Naya Rivera's family settles illegal death lawsuit almost two years after the “Glee” star's drowsing
Naya Rivera's son witnessed the actress's final moments at Lake Pill. He was four years old at the time. (Chris Delmas/AFP via Getty Images)
Rivera and Josie set out for Lake Pill on a pontoon they rented on July 8th. The mother and son were swimming in the lake when Rivera noticed the boat was drifting away. The rental was not equipped with an anchor or flotation device.
Josie returns to the boat, grabs the “tank” and pulls “around the boat,” but Rivera does not get it back. According to the incident report, Rivera claimed she tried to help herself return to the rental pontoon.
“He said it was his name she said, and she went down, but he didn't see her anymore,” Dorsey recalled. “The only thing he had to witness her final moments would shake my world.”
“What he said many times 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. I will keep him at ease,” the rope wasn't long enough. ”
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Naya Rivera's death was determined to be a random drowsing. (AP image)
At the time, Dorsey was 145 miles away from Big Bear Lake, California. The “Big Sky” star was shopping at Ralph's supermarket when he received a call about his missing ex-wife.
“I fell on a drink palette,” Dorsey told People Magazine. “I was afraid of the worst.”
Naya Rivera and Ryan Dorsey share their son Hossie. (Getty Images)
“I ran through over 100 places with danger on all sides, covering the chain-smoking cigarettes. “I just wanted to go to Josie.”
Safely returning to Pontoon, Georgie finds out that Rivera is sleeping on a boat by a passerby three hours after he set out for rental.
“If we had lost both Naya and Hosie, I don't know how I would continue with my life,” Dorsey told the outlet. “I don't know what I did, but I'm sure it wasn't good.”
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Naya Rivera (right) was known for her role as Santana in “Glee.” (Fox Image Collection via Getty Images)
Dorsey and Rivera Real Estate settled an illegal death lawsuit filed in 2022 against Ventura County, Ventura County Parks, Recreation Management and United Water Conservation Area.
“Naya rented a pontoon boat when Naya arrived at the recreation area of Lake Piru without carving or warning about the dangerous situation of the lake,” court documents stated. It's there. The complaint alleges that rental agents had not informed Rivera of the strong currents, winds and underwater debris that often occur in Lake Pill.
The cast members and friends of “Glee” held hands as they gathered for the launch of a boat on Lake Pill. (via Al Cebu/Los Angeles Times Getty Images)
According to the lawsuit, Rivera was offered a life jacket, but “he politely declined.” The document alleged that the rental agent “since they didn't warn Naya to wear the vest, they simply put the vest in the rental boat.”
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Rivera's body was found on July 13 after search and rescue teams washed the lake for five days.
The Ventura County Medical Inspector's office confirmed that the actress's cause of death was drowsing, and the method was accidental.
