Ryan Dorsey Slams "Absurd" Report Speculating About His Relationship With Naya Rivera's Sister
Ryan Dorsey has addressed the "nonsense" reported about his personal life following the death of ex-wife Naya Rivera.
In a candid and tearful Instagram video shared Tuesday, Sept. 29, the single dad expressed his disappointment in those speculating about his relationship with Naya's sister, Nickayla Rivera. Just yesterday, a report surfaced that alleged Ryan and Nickayla were now living under the same roof to raise his son Josey together.
Ryan began the video by stating that he hasn't kept up with the media coverage of the Glee star's accidental drowning, explaining, "I usually don't read comments on my own stuff because I know how there can be 50 good things said and five negative ones. Somehow as humans we get those five negative ones stuck in our heads wondering how people could say certain things."
The 37-year-old actor then slammed individuals "making assumptions" about the Rivera family when they "know next to zero about" them. "It's truly sad that this is the world that we live in where people were raised to think it's OK to spew hatred, in general, especially when they make statements about a family who are dealing with a tragedy that I hope is so unimaginable that you or anyone that is close to you ever has to go through," he stated.
Naya Rivera and Son Josey's Sweet Family Photos
Ryan said that he "can't even imagine" what it would be like to raise a child who thinks it's okay to "do this to some strangers on social media." But he revealed he finds comfort in the way he's raising his and Naya's 5-year-old son.
He continued, "He's a sweet, smart, caring, sweetest soul of a young man, who at the age of five is having to grow up so fast and grow up like so many of us didn't have to."
Ryan then revealed that following Naya's death on July 8, he's "probably lost a little over 20 pounds" and has endured many restless nights because of his grief. "I think to myself how lucky I am to still have my mom and still have her help out in my life still," he shared, before describing his worries over Josey's future. "Then I think about how he won't have that same opportunity in his future. It makes me beyond sad. I ask myself why? What did he do to deserve this? I know he didn't do anything to deserve this, but the things people have said are sad."
He also reflected on the nearly week-long search for Naya and revealed that Josey, who was present during the drowning, hoped his mother would still be found alive. Ryan recalled how the five-year-old asked, "Oh, do you think they will find her? I just want them to find her."
"You know he's so smart and you know he witnessed a nightmare right before his eyes," he shared. "Then when you're with him every day during this, with his grandpas, and his grandmas, and his aunts and his uncles, and his whole family, and all you have is each other to lean on and to cry with, and you go through this nightmare. It's sad. The reality hits you and the grieving can start, but the sadness gets heavier because you know you're going to have to have conversation one on one with a little boy and tell him about our new reality."
Ryan added that he told Josey his mom was in heaven now, to which the young child asked, "Well, I want to go there. How do I get there?"
"I wouldn't wish that upon any of your ears to have to hear those words come out of the sweetest soul you know," he added.
He also confirmed that Nickayla, 26, recently moved in with him. As Ryan described, "[Josey] asks me if Titi can live with us. ‘I want Titi to live with us forever,' because he's now the closest thing he has to a mom. You're going to need all the help you can get as a single parent trying to build your career and navigate this disaster with your child."
Ryan continued, "And to have to let him get what he wants, what he asks for, and what he needs right now, which is his family. Even though you know it's temporary and it's not forever. It's a temporary situation. After all that he's had to go through how could you deny him that? Because of what? What some strangers might think or say, or spew some hatred based on some ill-advised, ill-logical, misinformed tabloid?"
Additionally, the actor said that he appreciates the support that both his and Naya's family, especially Nickayla, has offered as they adjust to their new normal. "To have a young woman who is his blood, his Titi, who is willing to put her life on hold and sacrifice things, uproot her situation for the betterment of your child," he shared.
Ryan added that she's also been helping him through his grief, sharing, "So when you put your child to bed you don't always have to be alone with your thoughts and you don't have to be sad any day or night wondering when does it get better. At least you have someone there with you to talk to or just sit in silence and be sad with. You don't have to deal with being completely alone."
And he expressed his hope that nobody ever has to experience "people following you or take pictures and creating a false narrative" as they try to grieve. He recalled how two women, who he described as "not being covert at all, being disrespectful," allegedly followed him and Nickayla as they purchased items for Josey's birthday party.
"I hope you got your cell phone bill paid or however that works when people do things like that for a couple shekels," he remarked.
He then addressed the speculation about him and Nickayla possibly being in a relationship, calling it an "absurd" narrative pushed by tabloids.
Ryan added, "S--t man, I wish I was worried about a relationship right now. Not thinking about this and living with this every day."
He closed out his statements by expressing his hope that his video makes people "think twice before they go insert their opinion and jump to conclusions. Think about sending people DM's wishing death upon strangers who are dealing with so much that they know absolutely zero about."
Nickayla previously addressed the speculation about their living situation on Monday, Sept. 28. She wrote on her Instagram, "What matters most I've learned, is to show compassion, not to judge others, & never take a moment of life for granted. I hope you all do the same."