Rafael Fonseca-Ortiz

Rafael Ivan Fonseca-Ortiz, age 20, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, passed away on August 6, 2026, from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident.

Rafael was born on November 11, 2005, in Long Beach, California, to Rafael Fonseca and Alicia Ortiz. He lived in California until the age of three when he and his family made Idaho Falls their home. Rafael grew up in Idaho Falls and attended Hawthorne Elementary School, Eagle Rock Middle School, and Skyline High School. He earned his GED in 2023.

Rafael was a young man with a creative soul and a natural talent for discovering and learning new things. He was curious about the world around him and never limited himself to just one interest. He had many hobbies and was good at them. Art was one of the ways Rafael expressed himself. He was a gifted writer, wrote poetry, and loved to draw, expressing his feelings and thoughts that were sometimes difficult to say aloud. Music was a huge part of his life. He loved listening to music, creating music, and DJing. He also spent free time playing video games. He loved to express himself whether it was through writing, drawing, or composing music of his own. Those who knew him will remember the beauty and individuality he brought.

Rafael also had an incredible talent for mechanics. He could take a car apart and with his determination, and put it back together again. He had the ability to understand how things worked and had a passion for anything with an engine. He was self-taught too.

He started his job career by working at Grease Monkey as a greeter and translator, but his knowledge extended to working as a pit and hood technician. He later worked at Smith Chevrolet as a service technician. He recently got hired at Frazier Industrial where he was a painter and forklift operator.

Rafael was an adrenaline junkie who loved the excitement of life and never shied away from an adventure. He lived with a fearless spirit. He loved New York and talked about moving there one day. He was planning and saving for that dream, excited about the energy, art, and opportunity in the city.

But beneath all the talents, interests, and adventurous spirit was something even more important to Rafael, his family. Rafael was protective of the people he loved. He loved deeply and his family knew they could count on him in his own way.

Rafael's life was filled with creativity, curiosity, adventure, and love. He was a talented mechanic, painter, artist, writer, poet, and DJ, but those titles only describe pieces of who he was. He was a son, a little brother, the best, funniest uncle, a family member, and a friend, whose presence brought something completely his own into the lives around him. He was the biggest jokester. He loved messing with you all out of love, always to make you laugh.

His life was far too short, but the things Rafael created, the knowledge he shared, the laughter and memories he gave his family, and the love he carried for those closest to him will remain.

Rafael will be deeply missed and forever loved. His family will carry his memory, in every song, every spot, every text, every quirk, every drawing, and every moment when they remember the curious, creative, and adventurous little brother they were blessed to have.

Rafael is survived by his mother, Alicia Ortiz of Idaho Falls, ID; sister, Lizbeth Fonseca of Independence, MO; sister, Kimberly Fonseca of Idaho Falls, ID; his 3 nephews and 1 niece.

He was preceded in death by his father, Rafael Fonseca, and his grandfather, Agustin Fonseca.

A funeral mass will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, August 14, 2026, at Christ the King Catholic Church, 1690 E. 17th Street. The family will visit with friends from 12:30-1:30 p.m. prior to services at Wood Funeral Home East Side, 963 S. Ammon Road. Burial will be in the Ammon Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggest donations to https://gofund.me/141496aaa.