Naya Rivera's life and legacy continues to be celebrated.
On Jan. 12, what would've been the late actress' 35th birthday, her ex husband Ryan Dorsey opened up about the highs and lows of grief, following her untimely passing.
"At least once a day I find myself shaking my head, like it's still unbelievable, so surreal that she's gone," he wrote in a statement to People. "It's hard to write this, tears coming out my eyes. Unf--king real."
But with the tears come moments of happiness, especially when he looks at their 6-year-old son Josey.
"She knew how willing Josey was to share his things but she'd be so proud to see how he'll give things he loves away to friends or donate them," Ryan, who was married to Naya from 2014 to 2018, shared. "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. No matter your mood, it would make anyone smile if you heard it."
Perhaps not making her smile as big? Her age. As he jokingly said of the Glee alum, she'd be "freaking out" about turning 35: "I could almost hear her: 'OMG, I'm almost 40!' " he joked.
Ryan also took to Instagram to honor Naya's birthday by sharing a black-and-white photo of the actress smiling with their son.
"You would've been XXXV," he captioned the pic, along with what appears to be a poem. "Able to finally look at a couple videos today, I guess you can say I'm doing better…but better is just a better word for forever sad, this s--t is unbelievable forever."
Back in July 2020, Naya passed away following a daytime boating trip on L.A.'s Lake Piru with Josey, who was just 4 at the time.
After they didn't return, authorities found Josey on the boat alone wearing a life jacket. Naya's body was found in the lake five days later by a search-and-rescue team.
Investigators say that Josey told them he and his mom jumped in the water after counting to three. A police report, obtained by E! News, states, "shortly after they jumped in the water, the decedent told Josey to get back on the boat. She helped him onto the boat and he then heard the decedent yell 'help' and she put her arm in the air. She then disappeared into the water."
Naya's cause of death was later ruled a drowning, as confirmed by the Ventura County Medical Examiner, and the manner of death was an accident.
This past summer, following the first anniversary of her death, Ryan paid tribute to his ex with touching words about their son in a Instagram post.
"A year ago we laid you to rest," he wrote on July 24. "I still can't believe it…Our boy has grown so much. He's such an explorer, so inquisitive. He's sweet, so funny, and his laugh always lights up the room."
"He's an intuitive soul to say the least," he continued. To know him is to love him, everyone that meets him is always smiling."