Naya Rivera‘s sudden death sent shockwaves through the nation last July. For throngs of fans who found comfort and visibility in her glowing portrayal of Santana Lopez on Glee, her passing felt both palpable and personal. Her powerhouse legacy on-screen galvanized us all to explore our truths on pursuit to our dreams. Now, a year after her tragic passing, her family is candidly sharing how her absence has indelibly impacted their lives.

In an interview with Good Morning America, Yolanda Previtire, Rivera’s mother, spoke to how her family is grappling with the unbearable grief. “Sometimes we’re afraid of the sorrow being so heavy that we’re afraid for our own self, ’cause this is hard. There are no words to describe what we’re going through,” she said, later adding that the family is in trauma therapy. “All we know is we have each other.”

The television star went missing on July 8 at day lake trip with her then-4-year-old son Josey Hollis Dorsey in California. Officials later found her son sitting in a life vest unharmed in the pontoon and launched a five day search for Rivera’s body. After discovering her body, the Ventura County Medical Examiner ruled her death an accidental drowning and reported that they believed the 33-year-old was able to assist her son onto the boat after their lake swimming but would succumb to exhaustion herself.

Naya’s younger sister, Nickayla Rivera, recalls the five day missing persons search for Rivera as “absolute hell.” Reminiscing on her fondest memories with her sister, Nickayla continued, “Taking that one day at a time and living it to the fullest, loving each other to the fullest, and not regretting anything. Because I know if we could go back, we’d hug a little bit harder.” Although he was unable to attend the live segment, Naya’s brother Mychal also shared his tribute in an official statement: “One year without you, one year closer to when we will meet you again. Your endless energy lives on. May you continue to rest so graciously, Naya.”