Glee's Heather Morris Details How Naya Rivera's Death "Still Hurts" 4 Years Later
Naya Rivera's memory continues to live on.
Four years after the Glee alum drowned in California's Lake Piru at the age of 33, her former costar Heather Morris shared a heartfelt tribute reflecting on the painful emotions she's felt since Naya's passing.
"I can't believe it's been 4 years," Heather wrote on Instagram July 8 alongside a black and white photo of the two cuddling. "boy how time flies. Yet every year I'm taken by surprise how much it still hurts."
The 37-year-old also took a moment to note how much their bond meant to her and how she still feels Naya's presence.
"We grow up together, fell apart, and came back together in such a beautiful way," she continued. "God you're missed so much…except I can't shake the feeling you never left…you're still here with us..guiding us to our highest potential."
Heather added, "I miss you Nay Nay."
And Heather isn't the only one who feels Naya's loss, as her former costar Jane Lynch recently expressed how Naya's passing, as well as that of Cory Montheith in 2013, left "a big hole in our lives."
"Just such youth," Jane told E! News at the Critics Choice Real TV Awards last month. "They were so excited, as we all were. We knew that we were breathing rarefied air when the show became such a big hit."
In the time since her death, Naya's loved ones, including her former costars as well as ex-husband Ryan Dorsey have continued to find ways to celebrate her legacy. And for the Pitch alum, that's been making sure her memory is alive for their son 7-year-old son Josey.
"When Josey was little he loved butterflies and going to the butterfly garden at the Natural History Museum in L.A.," Ryan told E! News in May. "Last year we released a bunch of butterflies while FaceTiming Grandma in honor of Naya. He released them and said 'Happy Mother's Day in heaven, Mommy!'"
And while the moment was "equally so heart breaking and sweet" for him, it's something that he and Josey plan to keep doing for Mother's Day and "make it a tradition."
To see more of Naya's life in pictures, keep reading.
Naya appears on Family Matters' Feb. 12, 1993 episode alongside star Jaleel White in one of her early acting jobs.
Rivera became a household name when she got her big break starring as cheerleader Santana on the award-winning Fox series Glee, which premiered in 2009.
Naya appears in the season one fall finale episode "Sectionals" alongside co-stars Dijon Talton, Cory Monteith, Harry Shum Jr., Mark Salling, Heather Morris, Amber Riley, Matthew Morrison, Jenna Ushkowitz, Kevin McHale, Lea Michele, Chris Colfer and Dianna Agron.
Agron as Quinn Fabray and Rivera as Santana in an early episode of Glee.
The young star arrives to the American Idol Top 12 Party in a colorful mini dress.
Rivera and Morris reunite at a 2010 Golden Globes party.
The Glee cast poses backstage at the 2010 Screen Actors Guild Awards after winning Best TV Comedy Ensemble.
Rivera and Agron are all smiles at the Fox and InStyle Golden Globes party in 2010.
Naya and Jenna share a giant hug as they attend the 2011 Golden Globes Awards with their cast in Beverly Hills.
Naya is equally excited to share the special moment with Glee creator Ryan Murphy the same year at the Globes.
Rivera and Monteith stop for a photo op at a Glee! Live event in San Jose in 2011.
Riley and Rivera are glam goddesses at the 2012 SAG Awards in L.A.
Rivera accepts the Favorite TV Actress Comedy award during the 2012 NCLR ALMA Awards in Pasadena.
Rivera and Big Sean made their red carpet debut as a couple at the 42 premiere on April 9, 2013 and dated for about two years before eventually calling off their engagement in April 2014.
Here, the duo celebrates the rapper's birthday at Wolfgang Puck in Beverly Hills in 2013 several months before he popped the question.
Rivera plays Blanca Alvarez during her 2015 guest-starring arc on Lifetime's Devious Maids.
Rivera poses for a portrait while promoting her book Sorry Not Sorry in 2016.
Naya co-stars with Chanel Iman in the 2017 film Mad Families.
Rivera secretly tied the knot with Ryan Dorsey in a small and intimate ceremony in Cabo San Lucas in July 2014. They filed for divorce just two years later.
Rivera and Dorsey welcomed son Josey Hollis Dorsey in September 2015. Here, the mother-son duo are all smiles at The Lego Movie 2 premiere in L.A. in 2019.
Naya and Josey pose for an Instagram pic in March 2020. "Always bringing the [sunshine]," actress wrote.
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