Last July, Rivera disappeared while boating with her son Josey at Lake Piru. An extensive search ensued after the 4-year-old was found alone on the boat, and Rivera’s body had been discovered floating in the lake five days later. Authorities told the media they did not suspect foul play and her official cause of death was ruled as an accidental drowning. She was 33.
In a recent interview commemorating Rivera’s passing, the star’s mother, Yolanda Previtire, told ABC News’ Juju Chang and “Good Morning America,” that, although the sorrow is indescribable, she knows her daughter’s legacy as both an entertainer and a milestone of LGBT media representation lives on.