Joamaliz "Mally" Orozco Rivera

The life of Joamaliz “Molly” Orozco Rivera, 19, of East Hartford, was tragically cut short on Saturday, January 17, 2026 in Portland, Maine from injuries sustained in an automobile accident due to weather conditions. Born in St. Francis Hospital on February 14, 2006, she was a lifelong resident of East Hartford. She was the adored and beloved daughter of Johnny Orozco of East Hartford and Lizbeth Rivera of Orlando, FL.

Molly attended Dr. Thomas S. O’Connell Elementary School and Sunset Ridge Middle School in East Hartford and graduated from the Connecticut IB Academy “CIBA” in East Hartford, class of

2024. She was presently attending UMaine where she was a sophomore double majoring in Anthropology. Molly was a very intelligent young woman who was a little book worm, reading all

types of books and poetry. She loved in-depth cultural history books, nature, arts and crafts, and listening to music. Most of all, she was a devoted daughter, cousin, sister, aunt, niece, and friend who loved spending time with each and every one of them.

Along with her father and mother, Molly is survived by her half-brother, Johnnie Orozco, Jr. of East Hartford; her half-sister, Yahniris Orozco of New Britain. She also leaves her paternal

grandmother, Elisabeth Vazquez of Tampa, FL; paternal aunts, Damaris Orozco of Massachusetts, Amelia Orozco and her significant other, Juan Cruz of Hartford, Sheila Orozco of Southington, and Amarilis Palasek and her husband Steve of Southington; maternal grandmother, Aida Vega-Rivera of Puerto Rico; maternal aunt, Aida Rivera, and uncle, Lou Colon of Hartford, CT; along with eight nephews; five nieces; many cousins, and dear friends.

Molly was full of light; to know her was to love her. Being with her felt like the warm summer breeze at the beach or watching flowers bloom in the spring. Even more, her aesthetic reminded you of the rich variety of colors in the fall. She carried a warmth that lived in her hugs, the kind that made you feel at home. Conversations with her stretched for hours, filled with depth, laughter, and understanding, as if time slowed just to let her be heard. There wasn’t one specific thing that represented Joamaliz; she was too special to be captured by a single season, feeling, or image.

Funeral service celebrating Molly’s life and visiting hours for relatives and friends will be on Tuesday, January 27, 2026 from 11 am to 1 pm at the D’Esopo East Hartford Memorial Chapel,

30 Carter Street, East Hartford.

Burial will follow at Mount Saint Benedict Cemetery, (Section 24), Bloomfield.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Mally’s name may be made to the Hartford Firefighters L760, 1 Linden Place, Suite 104, Hartford, CT 06106. For on-line expressions of sympathy to the family, please visit www.desopoeh.com