Dear Michael, every day I think of you, every day I see your beautiful smile, every day I miss you!! You are my baby boy and we miss you so much.  There are so many memories,  some are hard, some are sad but many are joyful and those are the ones I hold on to. Sometimes, I look at your father and he's so sad. And your brother. They miss you so much. It was always fun having you around, and your Kansas City Chiefs are in the Super Bowl again.  How you would have celebrated! We miss you. Nothing is the same without you.  Michael,  my beautiful boy, I miss you so much. I'm so grateful I was your mother.  I love you!!! ❤️  God Bless!

Thinking of you all today and sending you a hug.

How crazy I looked at your page yesterday thinking of you and Then I get an email with your name this morning. Not realizing the day but The universe let me know you heard me talking to you .🤍 today I pray for peace for your family and all of your loved ones . 

To all that have share your memories, thank you! This has been unbelievably difficult and heartbreaking. Our family is broken and in much pain.  Every day is a challenge, taking it one day at a time.   Receiving these messages of love for our dear Michael is so lovely. Your kind words and memories are so much appreciated and will never be forgotten.  God Bless you all and again,  thank you,.

I'm very sorry to hear that Mike passed away, this is my first time hearing about it and all I can think are the memories I had with him during middle school and high school. We shared the same bus route and we would always hung out at the back with our friends. His dad was the bus driver and both of them were so welcoming and amazing to us. Mike and I use to hang around VC with our dollar Arizona Iced Teas and supported each other when we were on the lacrosse team. We would push each other to do better in the game. While we weren't too close in high school, he would always acknowledge me, give me dap and ask what's up. He was an amazing dude and I will never forget the great times we shared as teammates. Rest in Peace, old friend.

I am just now learning of Mike’s passing and am deeply saddened by this news. Mike and I knew each other growing up in Nyack and he had such an amazing presence about him. I recall him always smiling or cracking a joke and bringing light into everyone’s day. I’m so sorry for your loss ♥️

Mike,

Perhaps as an adult you didn’t remember me, but I never forgot you. You, your brother, and your parents were the kind of family I always wanted to be around. I remember you as a baby and how you would call me “Kiwalo.” The many sleepovers and adventures at Sonia’s. I see just how many people you touched and I get it dude. After we moved away from North Bergen I knew I’d miss your family. Just know I owe you one. I had spent years trying to reconnect with you and your brother and it was you who I found on Facebook and it was you who did that for me. Rest easy my friend. -“Kiwalo”

Hey Mike or should I say “new best friend” I’m so happy I had the chance to get to know you . It breaks my heart our time was limited. I will never forget the night I met you . We talked for hours by the lake and we were so alike in so many ways . It breaks my heart just a couple weeks ago we were trying to meet up so we can have another vent session .... you’ll forever be in my heart ❤️ I’m at peace knowing you’re in Heaven with your dog you told me you loved . Until we meet again ❤️🕊 

Hey Mike,

I didn’t think I’d be writing to you like this, but I know you’re forever looking after us. You’re a strong spirit and your presence was always felt no matter where you were. I learned a lot from you over the years and we have had countless conversations I’ll never forget. From all of the inside jokes and laughs we share, your memory will live on forever. I love you always cuz. 

Aramis

Dear Michael,
May you live eternally through those that love you and through the love you spread. 
We may not have shared as many memories as I wished but in our exchanges you were always warm and inviting. Thank you for welcoming me as one of your own. Rest In Peace🙏🏽

When we were young my dad took Mike and I to Englishtown racetrack for a Import vs Domestic day. I liked the sound of the V8 cars and Mike liked the turbo cars. However after each car raced by we both were smiling. That moment on we had a connection for the love of cars. I remember on the the car ride home, Mike and I were looking out the window trying to get my dad to race people lmao I’ll always remember the good times we had man.

Mike was a good dude. As everyone else has stated he was a cool funny friend that always had the fire kicks. Rest easy big Mike, gone way too soon. 

My condolences go out to the Rivera’s at this tragic time. 

Cousin...

I love you. We love you. You recieved your wings. 🙏🏽 And no you can't have them customed either. 😏 Be with us and watch over us. Respond to my words like nothing has changed. The wave will never stop or slow down. We're here to cover the physical. Be our drive and our engine. I love you boy. We will see each other again. Be good. 

Michael-
We will always remember the happy moments we shared with you...Your smile and witty sense of humor. Your uncle Tito, Titi Edith, Adonis and Adrian love you. Thank you for being so amazing and making our life so special.

Love you bro, you will be missed!! We had some great times and those memories will always live on. You were a good friend and a great person, Ill see ya again someday! 

Irene & Family,

I want you to know that I am keeping you all in my prayers.  My heart truly goes out to you during this time.

Always,
Lauren 

Condolecense and fortitude to Felix Irene, his brother, his aunt Edith and Granny Aminta.  I missed you when I visited NY.    Now you are  in our Lord eternal aborde.  Our prayers are with you.

My dear Michael, my big teddy, you have brought so much life and reasoning to me. You opened my eyes, you showed me unconditional love, beauty, adventure, laughter, passion, you blessed me with getting to know the real you. Michael that no one got to see but me. I will forever cherish what you have given me and the moments together. I will hold on to you forever. Like you said..your never letting me go. I will never let you go. You are stuck with me forever. 
I love you so much. Forever by each other side. 

I was new at Nyack High School our freshman year and I was a complete weirdo to most people. I was still making friends while people were cracking jokes on my skinny jeans (this was 2005, streetwear wasn't big yet). We connected because Big Mike always had fire kicks. My sneakers were never as fire as yours were but we definitely had that mutual respect for each and admiration of sneakers.  Plus Big Mike was funny, laid back, and easy-going. That's the biggest thing I remember about you. Mike never wanted no drama. Which was crazy to me because we were kids, kids feed off of drama. I always thought you were wise beyond your years. I've literally seen Mike just walk away from situations that would have made me scream, yell, and act a fool. (If you know Mikes dad you can tell where Mike learned all that wisdom from. I never met your whole fam but I'm sure you grew up in a good home with people that cared about you and building you up)

After high school it was always a pleasure running into you. Dapping you up and just catching up. None of that weird thing people do, trying to stunt on each other. We were just honestly wishing well on the other person and happy to hear how life is going. I saw you were in Harlem for the Puerto Rican day parade last year and hit you up. ( I knew you probably had some fire on your feet and was thinking mad hard what shoe to wear if we linked up haha ) Too bad we couldn't catch up that day. Rest easy big Mike! So wild, I can hear your laugh in my head right now vividly haha. Always smiling man, that was you, and I will try to smile more because of that.

I was nearly speechless when it was confirmed that you had passed. I know we didn't see each other in quite some time but we occasionally kept in touch, I always had to check in on you and make sure you were ok, and now you're gone. I will never hear your voice again or see a text back from you, I knew that no matter how much time had passed, I could always count on you. You were a wonderful friend with a big heart and a beautiful smile. We had a connection that only you and I understood, and I will forever cherish that. This is still difficult to accept, I wish I knew what happened. I will miss you and I will carry you in my heart always. You made your mark on my life and I will never forget you. Thank you for coming into my life and allowing me to experience the very special human being you were. 

7th grade  Bob Homel tech ed class, it got us so close as friends! as we had a project. After playing basketball during lunch at the middle school. I ran into you in that class after my team had beat your team we legit had been assigned partners to build a project. I told my pops that I had to go over your house to work on a project. Went to the store and got back to your house your family gave me one of the most warm welcoming! Your pops the coolest pops! Your mother so sweet and your big brother Jason! That day we were working on our project for maybe 10 minutes and that’s when we played NBA Live before 2k got big and you were the infamous Tracy McGrady fan. T Mac! From there we became boys, and as time flew going into high school  we were so close!  From all the trips to the mall on the weekends to ending up at Brian’s and taking taxi together back home or your brother blessing us with a ride!Mike I’m heartbroken because our communication we still  spoke but I had moved to Atlanta but we had caught up literally June 2019 I had Liam October 2019.We were both talking about life and dreams and how we would turn them to Reality! We both apologized for not reaching out and that’s something brothers do because there was never a beat that skipped with our relationship. You even told me your mother would love to have me over for dinner, and I had told you to come to meet Liam(my son) and we were working on that. I’m showing Liam pictures of Mike! Mike you were loved by so many people! You were loved by me brother I will always be grateful for your friendship! The laughs, is listening to Styles P, D Block! Your Kansas City fan because Tony Gonzales was  holding it down for the Puerto Rican’s!!! RIP Michael, I love you bro!

To my cousin Felix and Family, 
I was deeply saddened to hear  about Michael's passing. I offer my condolences and deepest sympathy to his entire family. God bless his soul and may he forever rest in peace. Please remember all the joy and happiness you shared with him, during the 29 years that he blessed your lives.

Michael,
 I will miss your beautiful smile and calling me Titi Zaida  every time you greeted me!
You will be truly missed.
                           Love you Rest In Peace! 

You will forever be my teddy bear. You were bigger than life in so many ways. You will be missed but never forgotten. Love always. Que El Señor te tenga en la gloria. 

I will surely miss you Mike, that smile is one no one can ever forget. Happily ascend, we will meet again!

OBITUARY

Michael William Rivera

December 31, 1990 – February 7, 2020

Michael J. Higgins Funeral Service Inc.

Show your support

Add a Memory

Share Obituary

Get Updates

Services