Friends And Fans Mourn The Tragic Passing Of ‘Glee’ Alum Naya Rivera

On Monday, news broke that Glee alum Naya Rivera, who had gone missing last week, was confirmed dead following a multi-day search. It appears to have been a tragic accident. Rivera had gone boating with her four-year-old son on Lake Piru in Ventura County, California, but by late afternoon her son was discovered without his mother. She was 33 years old.

Though she was best-known for playing the singing cheerleader Santana Lopez on the beloved musical comedy show, from its pilot on, Rivera had a long and diverse career, starting when when she was a baby who appeared in Kmart commercials. The younger Rivera made appearances on everything from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air to Family Matters to Baywatch to CSI: Miami. After her Glee breatkthrough, she moved into music while acting on shows like Lifetime’s Devious Maids and YouTube Red’s Step Up: High Water.

In other words, she amassed a lot of friends and fans, many of whom took to Twitter after the news of her passing broke to memorialize the newly departed performer. That included fellow Glee colleagues:

It included bands whose songs Rivera covered on Glee.

It included people who worked with her, even if briefly.

And people who met her.

Or knew her.

It included fellow performers.

https://twitter.com/Kehlani/status/1282774693875875840

And people who were just fans.

And it included people she inspired.

https://twitter.com/bryanasalaz/status/1282791959807930368

https://twitter.com/LesleyAnnBrandt/status/1282774530994274304

Some people posted a short film she directed for Immigrant Heritage Month — a fitting way to say farewell to someone who should still be with us.