FROM
BRAZIL
TO THE
WORLD
A LIFE OF COLOR
AND HEART
Raff was a bit of a paradox. Outgoing and full of life, but also thoughtful, curious, and introspective.
He had a huge smile, wild energy, and this way of making everyone feel included. He would talk to anyone. He didn't judge. He wanted people to feel seen.
At the same time, he was artistic, creative, and always thinking. Whether it was fashion, music, art, or tech, he was constantly exploring and expressing. You could find him dancing in the middle of a crowd or quietly designing something on his MacBook into the early hours.
He was working in tech and learning more about AI. Before that, he had a role at the Solana Foundation, which meant a lot to him because it was his big break. But more than any title or job, what mattered most to Raff was connection. That's why people loved him.
He was living in New York, which suited him perfectly. It matched his energy. Fast, full of life, creative chaos everywhere. But no matter how far he travelled or how busy things got, Raff always found time to visit his family in São Paulo. He would show up between trips with a suitcase full of British chocolate and that huge smile on his face.
He adored his younger relatives and made every birthday feel special. Cake, balloons, a gift too. His nephew Bernardo meant the world to him. And just a week after Raff passed, another nephew was born and named Rafael in his honour.
He loved his cousins deeply too. Samuel, Pedro, and Daniel were more like younger brothers to him. And speaking of brothers, he was incredibly close to Dodo (Rodolfo) and Rick. He looked up to his father, Irineu, and adored his mother, Odete. He wanted to make them proud.
But the truth is, Raff loved all of them. His aunties, uncles, every member of that big, warm, loving family. They were his whole world.
He also had an extended family he found in the UK: Chris, Pauline, Kevin, Carolynne, Rachel, David, and Emily. And his New York crew, especially Teni, who lived with him there.
Raff made friends everywhere he went. His impact stretched across borders and so did his friendships. There are too many to name.
If you were close to him and you're reading this, please know this website isn't meant to be perfect or definitive. It's just a way of keeping his memory alive. If there's something you'd like to add or change, or if you want to be included here, please reach out:
We painted a mural of him in São Paulo, near where he grew up. His family still lives nearby. The mural is as bright and beautiful as he was. If you scan the QR code on the wall, it brings you here.
Raff would probably look at all of this and say, with that cheeky smile, it's "so good, you guys."
A MESSAGE FROM
RAFF'S MOTHER,
ODETE ABREU
"My beautiful Rafa was a dreamer; what I found most beautiful about him was his gift for helping people. He wanted to grow up, go to Africa to preach the word of God, and have good conditions to help needy families.
He loved elderly people, children, and the homeless.
One day he arrived home crying; he was coming from work and a street child next to his mother, sitting by the stall, waved his hand to him — it broke his heart 🥺.
Rafa had a beautiful heart for real ❤️".
SEE THE COMPLETE GALLERY OF PICTURES
Go to the Gallery
KEEP THE
DREAM ALIVE
DonateDonate to our mission
KEEP THE
DREAM ALIVE
DonateDonate to our missionThe ABREU
Foundation
"Through this foundation, Raff lives on. Every donation and every shared story helps honor what he gave. This is for his family, for his friends, and for the people we hope to support in his name."
"
