Ryan Dorsey opened up to E! News about how he manages tough conversations about his late ex-wife Naya Rivera with son Josey.
The 39-year-old actor — who honored his ex in a January birthday tribute — said his 7-year-old still talks about the day his mom drowned in 2020 at age 33.
‘I just listen to what he has to say because a lot of the time I don’t have any answers,’ he told the publication.
‘I put my love onto him and that’s all I can really do,’ he added about the challenging moments.
The actor, who will appear on an upcoming episode of Magnum P.I., shared his son will sometimes ‘make statements like, “I wish this didn’t happen” or “Why did this have to happen?”‘
Vulnerable: Ryan Dorsey opened up to E! News about how he manages tough conversations about his late ex-wife Naya Rivera with son Josey
Dorsey got candid as he noted about his son’s social life, ‘A lot of the kids find out what his Dad does for work. They’ll also find out about his mom, which is always something that’s tough to navigate.’
Getting sentimental, he added, ‘It’s always a reminder of the obvious. Something that’s never going to change is what happened and him having to deal with it daily.
‘As he crosses these milestones as a kid growing up, kids talk about their moms at school and dealing with his situation is very unique.’
The entertainer said assuredly, ‘He’s never going to forget his Mom. He’s interested in watching things and looking at her work one day.
‘That stuff will speak for itself and he’ll really get to appreciate the impact she had on people and how talented she was and who his mom was on the outside, not just in his home life.’
And although the tot is still quite young, he’s already become familiarized with his mother’s repertoire.
‘I think the only stuff he’s seen is what his other grandma has shown him. I think he’s seen some bits and pieces,’ he revealed.
But Ryan said he isn’t exactly ready to personally show Naya’s work to his son just yet.
Tragic: The 39-year-old actor said his 7-year-old still talks about the day his mom drowned in 2020 at age 33
‘To be honest, it’s still extremely hard for me,’ he admitted to the entertainment outlet.
‘I can’t watch video. Pictures are still hard to look at. We have pictures in the house here. It’s like that thing you try to avoid.
‘Every now and then I’ll make eye contact with these pictures, whether it’s the three of us or just her and him.’
‘It’s just really hard to accept, even though we’re coming on three years,’ he said.
When his son talks about the fateful day in July 2020, Ryan said, ‘I just give him a good squeeze and rub his head and kiss him on the cheek and tell him I love him.’
Turning to his professional endeavors, Dorsey said about his imminent appearance on Magnum P.I., ‘I play a guy named Nixon and he’s not very friendly. He’s not very nice. Big surprise.’
He went on to say, ‘Playing the bad guys is kind of fun because not everybody wants to do that, but somebody has to.’
‘It’s fun to be someone who’s completely not who I am in real life. I’m a pretty silly, happy-go-lucky guy if you really know me,’ he explained.
‘When I get to do these kinds of things, it’s just being a kid. It’s cops and robbers and I’m the robber.’
Earlier this year Dorsey paid an emotional tribute to Rivera on what would have been her 36th birthday on January 12.
The Glee star accidentally drowned while boating on Lake Piru, California with the former couple’s then four-year-old son.
Tragic loss: Naya Rivera’s ex-husband Ryan Dorsey paid an emotional tribute to the late star on what would have been her 36th birthday on Thursday, January 12 – the star is pictured with son Josey, now seven
Doting: Naya’s son Josey told investigators in July 2020 that he got back on a boat they had rented and his mother did not – investigators believed she used her remaining strength to save her son before she drowned
Before: The former couple pictured in 2014 in Los Angeles
Dorsey, who was married to Rivera from 2014-2018, shared poignant photos of the actress doting on her son, and revealed he tries each day to ‘keep moving forward.’
He wrote: ‘IIIVI. A little easier with each little bit of time that passes by to look at pictures…but I still don’t have the answers to the questions to the why’s our sweet boy asks from time to time. I never will.
‘Fly high. Doing the best we can. If you’re reading this no matter what you’re going through, take a moment of gratitude that you’re still here on this ride.
‘I know some days are harder than others to get up, but keep we just gotta keep pushing onward.’
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