With profound love and heartbreak, we share the passing of Vanessa “Vane” Molina, who left this world peacefully on Sunday, April 19, 2026 at 7:37 PM, surrounded by her family after a courageous and hard fought battle with cancer.
Vanessa was born on November 16, 1976 in New York. In 1980, she moved with her family to Miami, where she was raised and built a life rooted in love, strength, and devotion. She pursued her education at Florida International University, where she studied business. Combined with her unique problem solving skills and natural ability to thrive on connection and conversation, that foundation ultimately led to her true calling in the wealth management industry.
She began her career in 2005, working alongside senior financial advisor Adam Rosenfeld, with whom she shared a remarkable 21 year professional journey built on trust, loyalty, and friendship. She started at Morgan Stanley before transitioning together to Merrill Lynch in 2010, where she played a pivotal role in helping build The Rosenfeld Group into one of the largest and most successful private wealth management practices in the US. Vanessa was deeply admired by clients, who valued not only her intelligence and professionalism but also the warmth, confidence, and genuine care she brought to every relationship.
More than anything, Vanessa was the heart of her family. She was a loving wife to her husband and personal chef, Fredy. They shared 26 years of marriage filled with love, laughter, friendship, and a shared love of good food, good wine, and simply enjoying life together. She was also a devoted mother to her two children, Ethan, her oldest, now 23, and Emily, her youngest, now 18, who were her greatest pride and joy.
Vanessa was deeply involved in her children’s lives and school communities. She served as a room mom, a school parent liaison, and a constant presence, always giving her time, energy, and heart. She was her children’s biggest cheerleader, supporting Emily through her years in cheerleading and the chess club. For Ethan, she supported his passions for football and robotics. She was greatly invested in her children’s academic and athletic pursuits. Vanessa committed herself almost entirely to her children’s lives, supporting them in every possible way and cherishing their every accomplishment.
She was a cherished daughter to her mother, Gladys Lopez, who raised her and her sisters as a single parent with unwavering dedication and hard work, a strength Vanessa deeply admired and carried with her throughout her life. She loved nothing more than spending quality time with her mom, something she truly treasured.
She was also the beloved middle of three sisters. Annabelle, Vanessa, and Andrea, known as the “Lopez sisters,” shared a rare and unbreakable bond rooted in deep love, constant support, and a lifetime of shared moments. From childhood on, they were inseparable, always together through every stage of life, growing not only as sisters but as best friends. Their bond was filled with endless laughter, unwavering strength, and a connection that only the three of them could truly understand.
Vanessa had a presence that was impossible to miss. She was vibrant, full of life, and known for her unforgettable, million-dollar smile that lit up any room. Her favorite color was yellow, which was fitting, considering how she lit up the lives of those around her. She was loud in the best way, full of energy, humor, and warmth, and she made everyone feel seen and welcome.
“Vane” loved to host, bringing together family and friends for celebrations filled with laughter, music, and dancing. Vanessa and her husband truly enjoyed living life, embracing every moment with a you only live once mindset. She was always team overdressed, never underdressed, and loved any excuse to wear heels and put together the perfect outfit. She was also known as the queen of Halloween, going all out with costumes year after year and making every celebration unforgettable.
She loved to travel, adored her dogs, Thor and Lola, and her cat, Ody, and found joy in life’s simple pleasures: a beautiful walk, a cocktail in hand, and time spent with the people she loved most. She was also a passionate Miami Dolphins, Miami Hurricanes, and Miami Heat fan, and loved watching football, always bringing the same energy and enthusiasm to game days. She enjoyed crime documentaries and anything that made her think, drawn to stories that were intense, mysterious, and captivating.
Vanessa was not only an incredible mother, wife, daughter, and sister, but also a proud godmother, loyal friend, and a woman whose faith carried her through every season of her life. Even during her hardest moments, she faced life with remarkable strength, hope, and a positive attitude that inspired everyone around her. She always tried to find light in difficult situations and continued to uplift those she loved with her optimism, humor, and resilience.
Vanessa leaves behind a legacy of love, strength, joy, and connection. Though her absence is deeply felt, her spirit, her energy, and her love will live on in all who knew her. As her sisters, Annabelle and Andrea, we will miss her every single day. Her love, her strength, and the way she lived life so fully will forever live in us and guide us through this life.
A Mass at St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Miami will be held on April 28th at noon.
