Naya Rivera fans cry and sing during emotional vigil at lake where she downed

Naya Rivera fans cry and sing during emotional vigil at lake where she downed

Hundreds of Naya Rivera ‘s fans gathered on the banks of the lake where she drowned to remember the late actress following her death last month.

The Glee star, 33, perished during a boating trip with her young son on Lake Piru in California on July.

She was laid to rest at a funeral in Los Angeles earlier this week, and days later her fans gathered on the shore of the lake where she died to remember her.

Many were seen crying and singing during the emotional memorial, where a shrine to the late star with pictures, candles and tributes had been set up.

They played her music and some danced around and downed shots, while others lit candles and sat quietly at the side of the lake.

One told CBSN Los Angeles: “Without ‘Glee,’ I swear I would not be here. I would not be alive. That’s just a fact.”

Another added: “After seeing them on TV, I was like it is okay to be different.”

The event was organised by a fan club, with attendees asked to wear shirt shirts they were all given a white rose to lay at the shrine.

Fan letters to the star were also read out during the gathering.

Naya went missing on July 8 after taking a boat out on the lake with her son Josey, four.

A huge search operation was launched in a bid to find the actress, who had been presumed dead after her little boy was discovered alone on the boat.

A dive team and air unit were deployed while boats sued sonar equipment in a bid to locate her body.

Josey told police he last saw his mother in the water, but she sank under the water and never returned to the boat.

Her body was found on 13 July and the actress’ cause of death was given as drowning, with officials that she died in a matter of minutes.

Naya was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles on July 24.

The star’s grieving ex-husband Ryan Dorsey, who is father to Josey, said in a moving statement that they had been swimming together just a day before she went missing on July 8.

Sharing a photo of Naya with Josey, Ryan wrote: “This is so unfair…there’s not enough words to express the hole left in everyone’s hearts.

“I can’t believe this is life now. I don’t know if I’ll ever believe it. You were just here.