Body found at California lake amid search for actress Naya Rivera
What police are saying about the body found at Lake Piru amid the search for missing actress Naya Rivera
One day after authorities said that they were "confident" a body found in California's Lake Piru is former "Glee" star Naya Rivera, the co-creators of the show -- Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan -- paid tribute to Rivera in an emotional statement and also announced they will be starting a college fund for her 4-year-old son Josey.
On Tuesday, Murphy, Falchuk, and Brennan said they are "heartbroken" and that the actress, who played Santana Lopez, was a "joy to write for, a joy to direct and a joy to be around" while working on the popular music drama TV series.
"Naya wasn't a series regular when we cast her on 'Glee.' She didn't have more than a few lines in the pilot. But it didn't take more than an episode or two for us to realize that we had lucked into finding one of the most talented, special stars we would ever have the pleasure of working with," they wrote in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.
NAYA RIVERA 911 AUDIO, SURVEILLANCE VIDEO RELEASED
They said that while she was a talented actress and singer, her legacy on the show will be "the humor and humanity that she brought to Santana's relationship with her best friend and eventual girlfriend/wife Brittany (played by Heather Morris)."
Naya Rivera and son Josey Hollis Dorsey arrive for the premiere of 'The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part' at the Regency Village Theatre on February 2, 2019, in Westwood, Calif. (CHRIS DELMAS/AFP via Getty Images)
"It was one of the first times an openly lesbian, high school relationship was seen on network television," the producers continued. "And Naya understood what 'Brittana' meant to the many young women who were seeing themselves represented on television for the first time."
"[Rivera] was warm and caring and fiercely protective of the rest of the cast. She was tough and demanding. She was fun. She was kind. She was generous," they said. "Naya was more than just an actor on our show — she was our friend."
Will (Matthew Morrison, C), Mercedes (Amber Riley, L) and Santana (Naya Rivera, R) in a scene for 'Glee.' (FOX Image Collection via Getty Images)
To honor her memory and legacy, Murphy, Falchuk, and Brennan announced a financial contribution to her family.
"Our hearts go out to her family, especially her mom, Yolanda, who was a big part of the 'Glee' family and her son Josey. The three of us are currently in the process of creating a college fund for the beautiful son Naya loved most of all," they concluded.
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Rivera, 33, went missing on July 8 while boating with her son.
Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub told reporters the medical examiner would make the official identification and an autopsy will be performed.
She is believed to have drowned “in what appears to be a tragic accident,” a statement from authorities previously said.
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