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August 13 marks exactly one month since Naya Rivera’s body was found in Lake Piru, California.
The ‘Glee’ star went missing on July 8 after a day at the lake with her son, Josey. Once more details about the situation were revealed by the Sheriff’s department, it became obvious that after they went into the lake for a swim, something went wrong, and Naya used the last of her strength to push her son back on the boat to safety. If anything, that last heroic act revealed just how much she loved and valued her role as a mother.
Now, a month after the tragic accident, Rivera‘s family is making sure they keep her memory alive for 4-year-old Josey. According to reports from ET, sources say “this has been an unbelievably difficult time for her family and loved ones,” but Rivera‘s son is ”doing better every day.”
The toddler is now with his father, Ryan Dorsey, full time as he adjusts to life as a single father. It‘s a big change from their life before, where Naya and Ryan shared custody. “Ryan’s whole world is Josey right now,” the source says. ”Ryan is still grieving and is very much struggling with the loss of Naya, but he stays strong and keeps going for the sake of his son.”
The source adds that Dorsey has always been a very involved father, but this situation has made him even more focused on Josey’s well-being. “Ryan would do anything for Josey,” the source continued. “Right now, he’s really laying low and staying out of the public eye so he can completely focus on Josey and try to figure out how to navigate this new normal.”
Still, Rivera‘s sister, Nickayla, is very involved with her nephew and spends a lot of time with him. The source goes on to say that all things considered, Josey is coping well, and some days he seems like an ordinary happy-go-lucky kid. He understands that his mother is gone and he grasps the finality of death.
According to the source, Dorsey and Josey continue to talk about Rivera every single day. Ryan and Naya‘s family want to make sure that Josey has good memories of his late mother and that she remains a big part of his life. They talk openly about her and answer all of Josey’s questions.
Naya Rivera was honored with a private funeral and laid to rest at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles on July 24. While millions of fans across the world have shared their condolences publicly, the funeral service was very small, including about 25 family members and close friends, with some ‘Glee’ cast members in attendance.
