Naya Rivera and her son, Josey Hollis Dorsey, had a special kind of bond. “Josey is what Naya lived for every single day, he was her everything,” a source exclusively tells Life & Style.
“They were so adorable together, she would smother him with kisses 24/7 if she could. They were such a team,” continues the insider. “Josey literally changed Naya’s life for the better. Everything she did was for Josey.”
Life & Style confirmed Rivera was reported missing on Wednesday, July 8, after Josey was found on a boat alone in Lake Piru in Ventura County, California, just three hours after she rented it. The 4-year-old told investigators his mom had gone swimming but never returned.
Fortunately, Josey is surrounded by loved ones as he copes with the tragic event. “Thank God Josey has his dad, Ryan [Dosey], and Auntie Nicky (Nickyala, Naya’s sister),” adds the source. “Both families adore Josey so he’s surrounded by love right now. No one can wrap their head around this tragedy. They’re all grieving, but they want to know what happened, they want answers.”
At first, the incident was considered a rescue mission. “We were notified and the search began. Helicopters immediately flew out with the dive team and put divers in the water where she was last seen,” Ventura County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Captain Eric Buschow said in a statement.
Eventually, the search for Rivera turned into a recovery mission after she was presumed dead. “Multiple teams of professional search and rescue personnel are actively searching Lake Piru for clues to the location of Naya Rivera,” the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office tweeted on Thursday, July 9. “With over 80 people involved in the search right now, we are using helicopters, boats, ATV vehicles, and ground personnel to try and locate her.”
One day before going missing, Rivera shared a precious photo with her son. “Just the two of us,” she captioned the pic of her kissing Josey.
Less than a week before that, Rivera tweeted about death. “No matter the year, circumstance or strifes, every day you’re alive is a blessing,” she wrote. “Make the most of today and every day you are given. Tomorrow is not promised.”