Naya Rivera‘s ex-fiancé Big Sean has spoken out following the actress’ death.
Rivera is presumed to have drowned in Lake Piru in Southern California on July 8. Her body was found on July 13 and her identity was confirmed by the medical examiner the following day. She was 33.
It is believed that the actress was able to help her 4-year-old son Josey into the pontoon they rented after a dip in the water, but was unable to save herself.
The actress and rapper Big Sean – real name Sean Michael Leonard Anderson – were engaged for six months from 2013-2014.
Anderson, 32, shared a message on Instagram on Friday as a tribute to his former fiancée.
The musician shared a black-and-white photo of Rivera, as well as a picture of the former “Glee” star cuddling with her Josey.
“Rest In Peace Naya, God Bless your Soul! Thank you for blessing us all with your talent and presence,” wrote Anderson in the caption. “You 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.”
Big Sean and Naya Rivera at Beverly Hills Hotel on December 11, 2013 in Beverly Hills, California.
(2013 Getty Images)
He continued: “I appreciate and cherish everything that ever happened between us for making me wiser and a better person. 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.”
Rivera and Anderson began dating in April of 2013 before becoming engaged in October of the same year. A few months later, their relationship ended.
Rivera previously spoke to “Entertainment Tonight” about the split, noting that it didn’t work out because Anderson “wasn’t Ryan [Dorsey].”
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Rivera had previously dated fellow actor Dorsey, 37, and married him in 2014. The two, who shared Josey, finalized their divorce in 2018.
