Naya Rivera dead: Co-star Kevin McHale pens beautiful tribute to drowned actress

Kevin McHale has penned a moving tribute to Naya Rivera, describing the star’s “gigantic presence” and praising her final act of heroism.

Devastated castmates have poured their hearts out on social media for late Glee star Naya Rivera today, with one particular message resonating with heartbroken fans.

Kevin McHale, who played Artie on the popular show, penned a lengthy and touching tribute to Rivera, who was confirmed drowned by authorities after her body was located close to where her son was found adrift on the boat they’d rented five days ago.

According to police, it appears Rivera saved her son before drowning in Lake Piru.

“She must have mustered enough energy to get her son back on the boat, but not enough to save herself, ” Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub said on Monday afternoon.

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Responding to the tragic news, McHale praised his co-star for her heroic final actions in a heartfelt Instagram post, revealing that “a week ago today, we were talking about running away to Hawaii”.

“This doesn’t make sense,” he wrote to fans.

“The way that she loved her boy, it was truly Naya at her most peaceful,” the Sick of My Own Voice podcast said.

“I’m thankful that Naya got that beautiful little boy back on that boat … I’m thankful he will have a strong family around him to protect him and tell him about his incredible mum.”

He continued: “She was the single most quick-witted person I’ve ever met, with a steel-trap memory that could recall the most forgettable conversations from a decade ago verbatim.”

McHale went on to remember her talents as an actress, providing a glimpse of what she was like on the set of Glee.

“The amount of times she would memorise all of those crazy monologues on Glee the morning of and would never ever mess up during the scene … I mean, she was clearly more talented than the rest of us. She was the most talented person I’ve ever known. There is nothing she couldn’t do and I’m furious we won’t get to see more.”

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Tributes have flowed from Naya’s devastated Glee co-stars. Picture: Channel 10

He thanked the star for her support and guidance throughout their friendship, reminiscing on the very first time he met Rivera.

“I’m thankful for the times I grew an ab muscle from laughing so hard at something she said. I’m thankful she became like family,” he wrote, revealing that his dad had encouraged him to keep an eye out for her weeks before they met on set of Glee.

He continued: “Well Dad, she was nice and she became one of my favourite people ever.

“For having such tiny body, Naya had such a gigantic presence, a void that will now be felt by all of us – those of us who knew her personally and the millions of you who loved her through your TVs. I love you, Bee,” he concluded.

The heartbreaking discovery of Naya Rivera’s body has eerily coincided with another tragic anniversary for the cast, crew and fans of Glee.

The body of Rivera, 33, was pulled from the lake exactly seven years after Cory Monteith, who played Finn Hudson on the hit musical show, died from a fatal cocktail of alcohol and heroin in a Vancouver hotel room.

The 31-year-old actor, who had been struggling with addiction, was found dead on July 13, 2013.

Monteith was still a cast member on Glee at the time of his death, and Rivera – as sassy cheerleader Santana Lopez – gave an emotional performance of The Band Perry song If I Die Young in an episode paying tribute to his life.

Commenting on the chilling double tragedy, McHale took to Twitter to share with fans his thoughts.

“I’m not religious by any means, but you’d be hard-pressed to convince me that Cory didn’t help find our girl today. These 2, in many ways, were the male and female versions of one another. So nice, cared deeply, were stupidly talented, the most fun, and really really good people,” he wrote.

I'm not religious by any means, but you'd be hard-pressed to convince me that Cory didn't help find our girl today. These 2, in many ways, were the male and female versions of one another. So nice, cared deeply, were stupidly talented, the most fun, and really really good people. https://t.co/qsvThOJxL7

— Kevin McHale (@druidDUDE) July 14, 2020

Chris Colfer, who played Glee club member Kurt Hummel, also posted a photo to Instagram today with a heartfelt caption, telling fans Naya “spoke truth to power with poise and fearlessness”.

“How can you convey all your love and respect for someone in one post? How can you summarise a decade of friendship and laughter with words alone?” he wrote.

“If you were friends with Naya Rivera, you simply can’t. Her brilliance and humour were unmatched. Her beauty and talent were otherworldly. She spoke truth to power with poise and fearlessness. She could turn a bad day into a great day with a single remark.

“She inspired and uplifted people without even trying. Being close to her was both a badge of honour and a suit of armour. Naya was truly one of a kind, and she always will be. Sending all my love to her wonderful family and her beautiful son.”

Glee alum Jane Lynch was the first to pay her respects on Monday morning, tweeting “Rest sweet, Naya. What a force you were. Love and peace to your family.”

Lea Michele also returned to social media to pay tribute to her late co-star.

She posted a black and white snap of Rivera in one of her Glee costumes to Instagram Story.

Michele did not write any words but went on to share another black and white snap of some of the Glee cast looking out over a beach.

Lea Michele's posted a black and white photo of Naya Rivera. Picture: Instagram.

Michele and Rivera’s tension behind the scenes on the show was well-documented, with Rivera even writing about it in her memoir, but it’s understood they’d made up in recent years.

On a picture uploaded by Michele on Instagram showing off her growing baby bump earlier this year, Rivera had commented: “Aww congrats! I love this. You’re going to be a great mummy.”

Rivera went missing on Wednesday afternoon during a boat day with her young son. He was found asleep in his life jacket on their pontoon boat, but there was no trace of the 33-year-old mum, prompting a massive search of the lake.

Tragic details have since been revealed about her final moments in the water.

“Based on the location where the body was found, physical characteristics of the body, clothing found on the body and the physical condition of the body, as well as the absence of any other persons reported missing in the area, we are confident the body we found is that of Naya Rivera,” the Ventura County Sheriff said at a press conference this morning.

“We know from speaking with her son that he and Naya swam in the lake together at some point during their journey,” the sheriff said.

“It was during that time that her son described being helped into the boat by Naya who boosted him onto the deck from behind. He told investigators that he looked back and saw her disappear under the surface of the water.”

Police have speculated that Rivera saved her son when the pair got caught in a current while swimming.

“There are a lot of currents on the lake that appear particularly in the afternoon,” the sheriff said.

“We believe it was midafternoon when she disappeared. The idea being perhaps that the boat started drifting, it was unanchored, and that she mustered enough energy to get her son back on to the boat but not enough to save herself.”