Andre Luis Ribeirinha-Braga, age 22, of Winchester, MA, passed away suddenly, March 25, 2021 in a car accident, at 10 AM.
Born in Stoneham, he is the beloved son of Dianne Ribeirinha-Braga and Sergio Braga. Cherished brother to Daniel Ribeirinha-Braga and Lillian Ribeirinha-Braga. Nephew to Lucilene Ribeirinha and cousins to Jon Ribeirinha-Prata and Jessica Ribeirinha-Prata. He is the loving grandson of Helena Ribeirinha and her late husband Manuel Ribeirinha, the late Joao and Geni Braga.
Raised in Winchester, Andre went to a variety of schools. Between K-12 he attended Saint Joseph School in Medford, MA, Ambrose Elementary, McCall Middle, and Winchester High in Winchester, MA, and Admiral Farragut Academy in Petersburg, FL. Most recently he was in his senior year at Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH majoring in Public Relations and minoring in Spanish and psychology.
Andre was a very genuine, down to earth, and free-spirited person. His smile, humor, and personality were always contagious, always lit up the room, and always made him the life of the party. He was a family man first, so much so that he had "Familia A Tudo", which translates to "family is everything", tattooed on his back. Food was the second thing on his priority list and is something he loved with his heart and soul. He always found joy sharing a meal with family and friends as well as cooking.
Due to his vast knowledge base, Andre had the uncanny ability to be able to have a conversation with anyone. Making connections and building bridges with folks he never even knew like magic. Andre's attention to detail was especially gifted when it came to sports. The man would watch so much ESPN and sports he became the walking sports encyclopedia. Always knowing the ins and outs of the sport itself, what the major events were, who the players were, and what each player was good and bad at. His love and skill in basketball was unmatched. His love and dedication to the game of basketball was unmatched to the average high schooler. So much so that it landed him at a prestigious military academy in Florida where he started and led the team in assists as a sophomore. He was an alpha male on the court and field and played every game for his team to win and not for his own personal gain. Andre was a coach’s and teammates dream because he wasn't there for himself, he saw the big picture of sports. Andre also found love through dance. He could groove to any beat and loved a variety of genres of music.
Family and friends are respectfully invited to gather for calling hours at the McLaughlin - Dello Russo Family Funeral Home, 60 Pleasant St., Woburn, Monday, April 5th, from 4 to 8 p.m. There will be a prayer service beginning at 6 p.m. All attending must wear a face mask and adhere to social distancing protocols. The family has requested that memories of Andre can be shared at the following link https://forms.gle/Z1jiTkr6k3xwB8TM8