The 33-year-old Naya Rivera was found dead earlier this week just days after she went missing from a boat on Lake Piru in California.
Celebrities are coming out of the woodwork to write heartfelt tributes in the actor’s name, recalling her light and amazing talents.
Big Sean, Naya’s ex-fiancé, has additionally spoken out.
The two began dating back in April of 2013 and were engaged just six months later. But the following April, it was announced the two had split.
In her memoir, Sorry Not Sorry, Naya revealed that she discovered Ariana Grande (whom he later dated until 2015) hanging out at the rapper’s home shortly before their split. She also claims she was blindsided by their breakup, writing, “I learned that I was no longer getting married from the internet, and at the same time as the rest of the world.”
“Rest In Peace Naya, God Bless your Soul!” Big Sean wrote on Instagram.
“Thank you for blessing us all with your talent and presence. [Y]ou are a hero! Not just because of how you saved your son, also because of the barriers you knocked down for so many people to make them feel confident in themselves and to stand tall and be proud when they couldn’t achieve that on their own.”
Josey, Naya’s 4-year-old son with whom she shared with ex-husband Ryan Dorsey, was found sleeping alone on the boat before he was discovered by nearby boaters.
Following the recovery of her body, Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub said in a press conference that when their boat began to drift, Naya “mustered enough energy to get her son back into the boat, but not enough to save herself.”
The rapper continued, “I appreciate and cherish everything that ever happened between us for making me wiser and a better person.”
He concluded, “I’m still grieving and in shock, I can’t believe this is real. I’m praying for you and your family and I know your watching over them and protecting them. Rest In Peace Naya ????????????.”