Following Naya Rivera’s tragic passing at the age of 33, many are taking the time to honor the late actress and singer in a myriad of ways. This has included a gathering of her Glee co-stars at the site of her death and even a heartfelt message from her ex-fiancee, Big Sean. Now, the minds behind Glee – Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan – are working to ensure the future education of Rivera’s son.
The three producers recently released a joint statement (via THR) in which they remembered Naya Rivera as a “pro” who was “generous” and “fun.” At the end of the statement, Murphy, Falchuk and Brennan sent their condolences to Rivera’s family and revealed that they’re currently setting up a college fund for her four-year-old son, Josey:
Our hearts go out to her family, especially her mom, Yolanda, who was a big part of the Glee family and her son Josey. The three of us are currently in the process of creating a college fund for the beautiful son Naya loved most of all.
Naya Rivera originally went missing on July 8 while sailing with her son on Lake Piru in California. The search would quickly expand with divers and helicopters being brought in, though their efforts were temporarily halted due to hazy conditions. On July 13, Rivera’s body was located in the northeastern portion of Lake Piru.
When Naya Rivera was first reported missing, her young son was found sleeping alone in the boat Rivera had rented at Lake Piru. As the search went on, her son’s statements would help the Ventura County Sherriff’s Department determine that Rivera’s last act was saving her son. This would also help lead the department to determine that she died from accidental drowning.
As mentioned, those closest to Naya Rivera have paid tribute to her in different ways. Her Glee co-star, Heather Morris, detailed their close friendship in a heartfelt statement, saying that they stuck by each other through both good and bad times.
Another touching post came from Cory Monteith’s mother, who expressed her memories of the friendship her son shared with Monteith. Tragically, Rivera’s body was found on the seventh anniversary of Cory Monteith’s own death. Some may also remember that Rivera, as Santana Lopez, also performed an emotional song on Glee episode that served as a send-off for Monteith’s character.
While it’s still hard to fathom Naya Rivera’s death, Seeing the immense amount of love that’s been shared in the wake of it has been beautiful to see. The creation of a college fund for her son is a very generous gesture from Murphy, Falchuk and Brennan and is a more than fitting way to honor the late star they say they “lucked into finding.”
We here at CinemaBlend continue to extend our thoughts to Naya Rivera’s loved ones at this time.
