Naya Rivera’s Ex Ryan Dorsey Shares Birthday Tribute 5 Years After Her Death: ‘Doing the Best I Can for Our JoJo Binx’

It’s Naya Rivera’s birthday, and the late star’s ex-husband still thinks about her every day since the actress died in 2020 in a drowning accident.

On Sunday, Jan. 12 — which would’ve been the Glee star’s 38th birthday — actor Ryan Dorsey shared a heartfelt tribute on Instagram, including a message about the former couple’s 9-year-old son, Josey Hollis Dorsey.

Alongside a photo of the pair — who got married in 2014 and divorced in 2018 — Dorsey penned a poem for Rivera.

Dorsey, 41, began by wishing her a “Happy Heavenly Birthday.”

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“5 birthdays since you’ve been gone,” Dorsey wrote. “Thoughts every day about how it went wrong. The memories attached to places, Still see all the things, see all our faces.”

“Visions of happiness and sadness, 15 years flash by when I hear a certain song,” he continued. “I shake my head often still in disbelief, They say time heals all, but all is not grief.”

The actor, who has appeared in shows like Yellowstone and Justified, went on to say that he is “doing the best I can for our JoJo Binx,” referring to their 9-year-old son.

“As the time goes by, Im often alone and sit and think,” he added. “I think more of our better times, Like this picture from the past, but it still f------ stings. So give [dogs] Emmy and Lucy one good rub, And if you’re reading this, Be kind to the one’s you love, You’ll never know when you give your last hug. 🤍.”

Related: Ryan Dorsey Mourns Death of His and Naya Rivera's Dog Emmy: 'Keep Mommy Company'

Rivera, who was beloved for her portrayal of Santana Lopez on Glee, was 33 when she died. In July 2020, she rented a boat while at California’s Lake Piru with Josey, who was 4 at the time. When the boat was not returned on time, staff found it on the north side of the lake with Josey sleeping in his life jacket on board, but Rivera was not with her child.

The actress was then reported missing and her body was found five days later on July 13. An autopsy later determined that her cause of death was an accidental drowning, and investigators determined that she likely saved Josey by putting him back on the boat prior to her death.

She was laid to rest on July 24, 2020.

Though Rivera and Dorsey had a tumultuous relationship prior to their 2017 split — their divorce was finalized the following year — the actor has shared several emotional tributes to and messages about the star since her tragic death.

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In 2022, he shared an emotional statement with PEOPLE, starting with how “proud” the late star would be of her son. “She knew how willing Josey was to share his things,” he said at the time, “but she'd be so proud to see how he'll give things he loves away to friends or donate them.”

“He has this unique literal laugh-out-LOUD cackle of laugh when he's watching TV that's kind of obnoxiously endearing like hers was, but his even more so,” he continued, adding that, “no matter your mood, it would make anyone smile if you heard it.”

"At least once a day I find myself shaking my head, like it's still unbelievable, so surreal that she's gone,” he concluded. “She'd be freaking out today, I could almost hear her: 'OMG, I'm almost 40!’ It's hard to write this, tears coming out my eyes. Unf---ing real."

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