All About Naya Rivera's Son Josey Hollis Dorsey

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo:Ryan Dorsey Instagram

Ryan Dorsey Instagram

Naya Rivera’s main priority was being a mom.

The lateGleeactress welcomed her first and only child, son Josey Hollis Dorsey, with ex-husbandRyan Dorseyon Sept. 17, 2015.

Rivera and Dorsey tied the knot in July 2014 in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, three months after she ended her engagement to rapperBig Sean. The pair were married for two years before the actress ultimatelyfiled for divorcein 2016 when Josey was 14 months old.

The star opened up about her “unconditional love” for her son in an April 2017 interview withMomtastic. “You hear about it and you think, ‘Well, obviously I’m going to love my child.’ But it’s so deep. Even after Josey goes to bed, I find myself thinking of him and looking at pictures of him and it almost brings me to tears half the time because the love that I have for him is so amazing,” Rivera added.

In July 2020, Rivera and Joseywere involved in a tragic accidentat Lake Piru in Ventura County, California. The pair had gone swimming in the lake, where the actress drowned after helping her son get back into their rented boat.

While talking to PEOPLE in February 2025, Dorsey said that Josey is becoming a lot like his mom as he gets older.

“He’sdefinitely his mama’s son, because when he doesn’t get the answer he wants, he keeps talking,” he said. “He likes to talk, and that’s mama for sure.”

From his love of music to how he keeps his mom’s memory alive, here’s everything to know about Naya Rivera’s son Josey.

He was born in 2015

Rivera and Dorsey welcomed their first child together, Josey Hollis Dorsey, on Sept. 17, 2015, in Los Angeles. The same day, theStep Up: High Wateractress thanked her fans for congratulating her on her new arrival and tweeted: “Thank you for all the well wishes and sweet messages!”

His dad filed a wrongful death lawsuit on his behalf

Dorseyfiled a wrongful death lawsuitagainst Ventura County, California, the county’s Parks and Recreation Management and the United Water Conservation District on behalf of Josey in November 2020.

In February 2022,a settlement was reachedin the lawsuit, including monetary compensation for Josey.

Gleecreators plan to start a college fund for him

In July 2020, the creators ofGlee—Ryan Murphy,Brad Falchukand Ian Brennan — revealed in a tribute to Rivera that they wereplanning to start a college fundfor Josey.

“Our hearts go out to her family, especially her mom, Yolanda, who was a big part of theGleefamily and her son Josey,” they said. “The three of us are currently in the process of creating a college fund for the beautiful son Naya loved most of all.”

A year later, George Rivera — the star’s father —claimed in a series of tweetsthat theGleecreators had not followed through on their promise. Murphy later refuted the claims in a statement, where he said they were still “committed” to creating the college fund for Josey and were “in repeated conversations with the appropriate executors of her estate."

His aunt is helping raise him

Ryan Dorsey/Instagram

After Rivera’s death, her sister Nickayla moved in with Dorsey and Josey tohelp care for her nephew.

“Ryan was always close with Naya’s family. He is beyond grateful that Nickayla has basically stopped her life to focus on Josey,” a source told PEOPLE in September 2020. “Everyone is still very upset, but they all have the same goal. They just want to give Josey the best life possible. Nickayla’s only focus right now is Josey. She is around every day to play with and care for Josey.”

While Dorsey and Nickayla’s living situation sparked romance rumors, the source also confirmed that “there is nothing romantic going on between Ryan and Nickayla. They only live together because this is what’s best for Josey right now.”

Nickayla later opened up about being there for Josey on her Instagram Story, where she wrote that “the only thing that is important is my friends & family” and that she wasn’t “concerned with the ways things look because no one can see each agonizing moment we all endure.”

Dorsey also reflected on the aftermath of Rivera’s death in a video posted to Instagram. He expressed his gratitude for both of their families “who support and who have helped out tremendously” during the difficult time.

″And to have a young woman who is his blood andtití, who is willing to put her life on hold and sacrifice things, uproot her situation for the betterment of your child so when you put your child to bed, you don’t always have to be alone with your thoughts,″ he said.

Looking back on that time years later, Dorsey told PEOPLE that Nickayla was “such a big help.”

“I had to go to Vancouver for five months and Josey came the last month to stay with me, but during the time I was gone she held it down and kept that consistency,” he said in February 2025. “It was very surreal sometimes because the way she would say things to Josey would sound like his mom.”

He inspired his mom’s kids’ clothing brand

Naya Rivera Instagram

“First and foremost, everything I do is for Josey. He’s at the best age! He’s talking so much and [he’s] so cool, kind and sweet,” Rivera told PEOPLE in September 2018. “Josey inspires me in so many ways that it felt natural to want to create this for him and I. Starting this company from the ground up is something I’m really, really proud of. I know that my son is proud of it too. It’s a sweet bond that we share together.”

The late actress also revealed that the capes were her son’s favorite product, and she often asked him for input on the designs. “I’ll take things to Josey for his input, especially the capes. He really loves the capes and thought he was a superhero. He kept running around the house saying, ‘I’m a superhero!’ ”

He loves music

Josey is following in his mom’s footsteps when it comes to his love of music.

In August 2021, Dorsey shared a video on his Instagram Story ofhis son singing alongto a karaoke version ofMichael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror.” In the video, the then-5-year-old can be seen singing the ’80s track into a microphone while watching the lyrics on the television screen.

More recently, Josey attended his first live concert with his dad in April 2023. TheYellowstonestar shared aphotoof the two at a David Morris concert in West Virginia — where Dorsey is from.

He graduated from kindergarten in 2022

In June 2022, Joseytook a big step in his education: graduating from kindergarten. Dorsey shared a carousel of photos onInstagramin celebration of his son’s graduation, including one image of Josey showing off his diploma in a blazer and a bowtie.

A few months later, Dorsey alsodocumented Josey’s first day of first gradeon Instagram. The young boy posed in front of sunflowers while wearing a black button-down shirt, camouflage shorts and checkered slip-on shoes.

He got a puppy for his 7th birthday

Dorseysurprised his sonwith a goldendoodle puppy as an early 7th birthday gift in September 2022. He shared a video on Instagram of the moment Josey met his new furry friend, whom he intended to name Clifford.

A year later, Dorsey rang inhis son’s 8th birthdaywith a sweetInstagram tribute. “Then there was the summer of turning EIGHT! I cannot believe @joseydorsey is 8 years old!! 😭😭😭,” he wrote in the caption. “I ❤️ you more than love love’s love, my boy! To the moons, infinity, and beyond ❤️ I’m so proud to be your Dad buddy #virgochild #daddyslittleman.”

He plays basketball

Josey is a budding basketball player! Dorsey shared a video of his son onInstagramin January 2023, where Josey was dribbling a ball and running on the court. The actor noted that this was Josey’s first year playing basketball, and his team — the Mountaineers — won the championship.

“For @joseydorsey’s first year playing, he’s come a long way in a few months,” Dorsey wrote in the caption. “From not being able to dribble and knowing very little about the game prior to his first practice, I’m proud of his attitude and how he’s stuck with it and improved.”

He honored his mom with a butterfly tribute

Dorsey is helping his son keep Rivera’s memory alive. On Mother’s Day in May 2023, theBig Skystar shared a carousel of photos of Joseypaying tribute to his momwith a special butterfly release.

Speaking withEntertainment Tonightin March 2023, Dorsey opened up about howhis son has to come to termswith his mom’s death on a daily basis.

“Some days are harder than the others,” he explained. “It’s hard for me when Josey will say certain things and if he misses his mom … or he’ll bring up certain moments that obviously he’ll never forget from the worst day of his life.”

He added, “And there’s not much for me to say except, ‘I know buddy, and I love you,’ and I just give him a hug. Just some human dad-to-son contact, and rub his head and squeeze him, because it’s all I can do because I don’t really have any answers.”

Though the pair have had a difficult few years trying to navigate the loss of Rivera, Dorsey toldE! Newsin a separate interview that his son “is never going to forget his mom” and has already expressed interest in seeing her work.

“He’s interested in watching things and looking at her work one day,” he said. “That stuff will speak for itself and he’ll really get to appreciate the impact she had on people and how talented she was and who his Mom was on the outside, not just in his home life.”

source: people.com