The Truth About Naya Rivera And Ryan Dorsey's Relationship
UPDATE: On July 13, 2020, the Ventura County Sheriff's Office confirmed Naya Rivera's body has been recovered at Lake Piru. In a press conference, Sheriff Bill Ayub said, "We are confident the body we found is that of Naya Rivera."
The original story follows below.
Glee star Naya Rivera is missing and presumed dead from an accidental drowning after she disappeared from a rented boat on a Southern California lake on July 8, 2020, according to The Washington Post.
The 33-year-old actress, who rose to stardom in the role of cheerleader Santana Lopez, was with her 4-year-old son Josey Hollis Dorsey before her disappearance. The Post reported that the child was alone and asleep when another boat found him, and an adult life jacket was located on the pontoon. Josey told police he and his mom had been swimming in the water together but she never got back to the boat.
Rivera shared her son with her ex-husband, actor Ryan Dorsey. The couple finalized their divorce in June 2018 after nearly four years of marriage (via People).
As more details about Rivera's devastating disappearance continue to emerge, let's take a look at her on-again-off-again relationship with Dorsey.
Naya Rivera and Ryan Dorsey met during her early years on Glee
Naya Rivera and Ryan Dorsey first met when Dorsey moved to Los Angeles in 2010, according to People. They dated briefly while she was on Glee, but she ended the relationship to focus on her acting career. A few weeks after their split, Rivera learned she was pregnant with Dorsey's child and decided to have an abortion, which she opened up about for the first time in her 2016 tell-all memoir, Sorry Not Sorry (via People).
"When I made that decision [to have an abortion], I made it by myself, as I feel is the case for a lot of women, and I did not share it with Ryan at the time," Rivera wrote in the book. Per People, she eventually told Dorsey about her abortion when they got back together a few years later.
In the interim, Rivera went on to date her Glee co-star Mark Salling for three years before beginning a whirlwind romance with rapper Big Sean in April 2013. The two got engaged that October before calling it quits in 2014.
Naya Rivera and Ryan Dorsey had a surprise wedding
Naya Rivera and Ryan Dorsey reconnected soon after her split from Big Sean, and three short months later, the two got married in a surprise ceremony in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico in front of a small group of family members. The wedding took place on Rivera's original wedding date to Big Sean, per Us Weekly.
"We feel truly blessed to be joined as husband and wife," the couple told People in a statement at the time. "Our special day was fated and everything we could have ever asked for."
Rivera also opened up about her reconciliation with Dorsey in her book Sorry Not Sorry, writing, "By the time we sort of reconnected, I was like, 'Gosh, there's a reason why you keep coming back in my life and we keep coming back together.'"
A little over a year later, the actress announced they were expecting a baby. She gave birth to the couple's son Josey in September 2015 (per In Touch Weekly).
Unfortunately, Rivera and Dorsey's relationship later took a turn for the worse.
Naya Rivera was arrested after a fight with Ryan Dorsey
In November 2016, just two years after tying the knot, Naya Rivera filed for divorce from Ryan Dorsey. The couple released a joint statement to People at the time, writing, "After much consideration, we have made the decision to end our marriage. Our priority is and always will be our beautiful son that we share together. We will continue to be great co-parenting partners for him. We ask for respect and privacy for our family during this difficult time."
However, one year later, The Blast reported that Rivera filed a request to dismiss the divorce paperwork with sources telling E! News, "They want to make it work for the sake of their son."
The pair's ups and downs continued after Rivera was arrested and charged with misdemeanor domestic battery in 2017. Dorsey claimed she hit him in the head and face during an altercation, per E! News. She was later released on bail by her father-in-law and the charges were dismissed in January 2018.
One month after the alleged fight, Rivera refiled for divorce from Dorsey and the two agreed to share joint custody of their child. They finalized their divorce in June 2018, two years prior to Rivera's disappearance on the lake.
As of this writing, the search for Rivera continues, and son Josey Hollis Dorsey is safely with other family members, per The Washington Post.
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