Ryan Dorsey and Naya Rivera’s little one is growing up so fast!
On Saturday, June 19, the late actress’ ex-husband posted a photo of himself along with their 5-year-old son, Josey Hollis Dorsey, celebrating his graduation from pre-kindergarten.
“Fresh outta Pre-K boy! Next Up Kindergarten! #summertime #proudDad,” the 37-year-old wrote underneath the picture, which shows him crouching down and kissing his son, who is sitting on a chair while donning a black cap and gown.
Josey has been living with his father for almost a year now following the tragic loss of his mother. In July 2020, Naya drowned in Southern California’s Lake Piru during a boating trip with her son. Her body was discovered a few days later, with Josey telling police his mom jumped in the water to go swimming and never got back on the boat.
Luckily for fans who enjoy seeing the 5-year-old grow up, Ryan often posts photos of his little one on Instagram.
Earlier this week, he shared a sweet selfie of the two of them playing on a float in a swimming pool. This comes following a heart-wrenching post last month, on the first Mother’s Day since Naya’s death, when Ryan paid tribute to the late actress by posting a never-before-seen photo of her with their son.
“We can’t say the word happy,” Ryan wrote at the time, “but we’ll say thank you for being a mother & giving me this sweet amazing boy.”
He also posted a message to his own mom on Mother’s Day, thanking her for all the help she’s provided during such a difficult time.
“Happy Mother’s Day Grammy,” he wrote under a photo of Josey with his mom. “Thanks for all the support, unconditional love, all the help, your patience, thoughtfulness, and everything you do. We ❤️you.”
During a recent interview with PEOPLE, Naya’s father, George Rivera, revealed that he begged his daughter not to swim in the lake shortly before her death.
According to Rivera, his daughter called him on FaceTime from the lake, seeking a piece of advice.
“She would always bounce stuff off me,” he told the publication. “And she wanted to go swimming with Josey out in the middle of the lake.” The late actress also informed him that the boat she rented didn’t have an anchor, which raised concerns for her dad.
“I could see that the wind was blowing, and my stomach was just cringing,” he recalled. “I kept telling her, ‘Don’t get out of the boat! Don’t get out of the boat! It will drift away when you’re in the water.’”
Unfortunately, that was the last time he spoke with his daughter.
