Ryan Dorsey has addressed claims about his relationship with Naya Rivera’s sister.
Ryan and Naya tied the knot back in 2014, welcoming their son Josey the following year – before divorcing 4 years later.
The actor shared an emotional video on Instagram on Tuesday, where he addressed the recent reports that Naya’s sister Nickayla had moved in with him and 5-year-old Josey – stating “it’s not always black and white”.
“I can’t believe any of this is real-life and that I’m about to address any of this nonsense,” he began the 12-minute-long video.
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“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,” he admitted, “Somehow as humans we get those five negative ones stuck in our heads wondering how people could say certain things.”
Ryan revealed that he had received death threats from people “making assumptions” about people “they know next to zero about”.
“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.”
Speaking about his and Naya’s son, Ryan said: “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.
“I think to myself how lucky I am to still have my mom and still have her help out in my life still. 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.”
“You know he’s so smart and you know he witnessed a nightmare right before his eyes,” Ryan continued.
“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 shared his heartache after he told Josey his mother was in heaven, admitting the 5-year-old responded: “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,” Ryan added.
Addressing the reports about Nickayla moving in, Ryan said: “Josey asks me if Titi can live with us – ‘I want Titi to live with us forever,’ because she’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.
“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?”
Praising Nickayla, Ryan said: “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…
“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,” he added.
Branding romance speculation as “absurd”, Ryan said:” S**t man, I wish I was worried about a relationship right now. Not thinking about this and living with this every day.”
Concluding the video, Ryan asked people to “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.”
The news comes after Nickayla responded to the reports on her Instagram Stories on Monday, writing: “In the darkest time of my life, the only thing that is important is my friends & family.”
“Showing up for my nephew, even though I can’t show up for myself. I’m not concerned with they way things look because no one can see each agonizing moment we all endure.
“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 can do the same,” she added.
Naya was declared missing on the 8th of July, after 4-year-old Josey was found alone on a rental boat on Lake Peru in California – with his mother no where to be found.
The actress’ body was found on the 13th of July, with the autopsy report ruling her death as an “accidental drowning”.
During a press conference, Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub said officials believe Naya and her son Josey were swimming in the lake on July 8th when they got caught in a current.
They believe Naya managed to save her son by getting him back on the boat, but sadly she “couldn’t save herself”.
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