The fateful July 13, Naya Rivera’s family’s worst nightmare came true. After five agonizing days of a search operation on Piru Lake, the body of the first Joy The actress was recovered. Rivera, a daughter, mother and sister, was 33 years old.
The heartbreaking photos of Rivera’s parents and brother at the lake last week showed a family facing unimaginable pain. Yesterday, they closed when they retrieved their girl.
And while nothing will ease their pain, in her first public statement, released to Deadline by Rivera’s manager Gladys González, on her behalf, Rivera’s family chose to focus on what Naya brought them and how they will remember her.
They also thanked everyone who participated in the search and who played for Naya while asking for privacy as they continue to mourn her loss.
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Here is the family statement:
We are very grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers for Naya, Josey and our family over the past week. While we mourn the loss of our beautiful legend, we are blessed to honor his eternal legacy and his magnetic spirit. Naya was an incredible talent, but she was an even older person, mother, daughter, and sister.
Thank you to the men and women of the Ventura County, Tulare, and San Luis Obispo Sheriff’s Departments for their commitment and unwavering effort to find Naya. We extend infinite gratitude and ovation to the heroine who found her. Thank you to your friends, colleagues and fans for your continued support.
Heaven won our cheeky angel. We ask that our privacy be respected during this difficult time.
Actress and singer Rivera, also known for her roles in Step Up: High Water and Maidens, disappeared on a boat trip with her 4-year-old son Josey on Lake Piru north of Los Angeles on Wednesday. Her body was recovered yesterday, and the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office today ruled her death from accidental drowning. In her last moments, she is believed to have helped her son get to safety in her boat.
Naya Rivera is survived by her parents, Yolanda and George Rivera; brother Mychal Rivera; sister, Nickayla Rivera; and son Josey.
Here are two photos of Naya with her father through the years: