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Why Naya Rivera's Sister Nickayla Moved In With Ryan Dorsey — Naya's Ex-Husband

Photo: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock
Nickayla Rivera

It’s been one year since the tragic passing of "Glee" star Naya Rivera, and her family, friends, and co-stars are rightfully still in mourning.

Rivera's sister Nickayla recently joined their mother, Yolanda Previtire, to speak about Naya's life on the anniversary of her passing.

Nickayla, almost 27, made headlines when the public learned that she has been living with Naya's ex-husband Ryan Dorsey, 37, and that the two are raising Dorsey and Rivera’s 6-year-old son, Josey, together.

Who is Naya Rivera’s sister, Nickayla Rivera?

Nickayla Rivera is the younger sister of former "Glee" star Naya Rivera.

She was born on November 2, 1994, which makes her a Scorpio.

Nickayla Rivera is a model who stands at a whopping five-foot-eleven-inches tall and is represented by Wilhelmina in New York and Photogenics in Los Angeles.

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Since Naya's tragic death, Nickayla has posted touching tributes to her late sister on her Instagram.

“Sister, There are no words to describe my love for you. Side by side or miles apart, our connection is infinite. Our bond is unbreakable. We were complete opposites, yet simultaneously the same. The yin to my yang. I never knew that by losing you, I would find so much of you in myself,” she captioned an old black-and-white photo of the pair on July 25.

“I’ve never known a life without you in it & still can’t imagine it. My world is turned upside down. But through it all, everything we were, we are still,” she continued. “I’ll always look at you with the same eyes as I did when I was young.⁣ My shmaya, I’ll love you for eternity & miss you every second of my life.”

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When did Nickayla Rivera and Ryan Dorsey move in together — and why?

Nickayla Rivera and Ryan Dorsey were spotted moving in together during the first week of September 2020. The two are raising Ryan and Naya’s son, Josey, together with the help of Naya’s parents.

In an interview, Nickayla revealed that Josey had asked her to move in with him.

"I knew right when it happened and right when we got him, I knew the role that I had to take," she said.

Are Nickayla Rivera and Ryan Dorsey dating?

Although Nickayla and Ryan are spending a lot of time together — and were even spotted holding hands as they took a trip to their local Target — the pair are not dating.

Rather, they’ve formed a tight bond while they try to cope with Naya Rivera’s tragic death.

Both Ryan and Nickayla have denied dating rumors and insisted that their living together is only to support Josey and comfort one another through their grief.

“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,” Nickayla wrote in a 2020 Instagram story, "I'm not concerned with the way things look because no one can see each agonizing moment we all endure.

Ryan, on the other hand, called the rumors "absurd."

"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," he said in a video he posted on Instagram.

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Olivia Jakiel is an editor and writer who covers celebrity and entertainment news. Follow her on Instagram and keep up with her zingers on Twitter.