Heather Morris Pays Tribute to Late ‘Glee’ Co-Star Naya Rivera on 4th Anniversary of Death: ‘You’re Still Here With Us’

9 July, 2024

Heather Morris paid loving tribute to her late Glee co-star Naya Rivera on the fourth anniversary of Rivera’s tragic death. In a sweet Instagram post featuring a black and white snap of the two women cuddling on a bed, Morris wrote, “I can’t believe it’s been 4 years..boy how time flies. Yet every year I’m taken by surprise how much it still hurts. We grow up together, fell apart, and came back together in such a beautiful way.”

After going missing for six days, Rivera, 33, was found after taking a boat ride with her then four-year-old son during which she drowned while swimming. The two women worked together on six seasons of the Fox musical comedy, with Morris starring as cheerleader Brittany Pierce, whose romance with Rivera’s closeted fellow cheer teamer Santana Lopez was a fan favorite storyline. “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,” Morris, 37, added. “I miss you Nay Nay.”

Rivera starred on Glee from 2009-2015, winning a Screen Actors Guild Award and an ALMA Award for her work on the show, as well as sharing two Grammy Award nominations with her cast mates. In addition to Glee, Rivera appeared in a number of films, including her debut in 2002’s Dana Carvey comedy The Master of Disguise, as well as 2014’s At the Devil’s Door and a posthumous voice role in 2021’s Batman: The Long Halloween.

The singer/actress married former flame Ryan Dorsey in 2014, and they had a child together in September 2015, a year before filing for divorce; the couple reconciled, but then she refiled for divorce in December 2017. Rivera was reported missing on July 8, 2020 after the couple’s son was found alone on a rented boat in the Lake Piru reservoir in Ventura County, CA. The child told investigators that his mom went swimming and was unable to climb back on the boat before she disappeared. Rivera’s body was found by divers in the lake on July 13.

During Rivera’s disappearance, Morris helped organize search parties to help with rescue efforts, later posting an emotional tribute to her friend and former co-star that included pics of their sons playing together.

See Morris’ post below.