Malachi Nakamura

Malachi James Nakamura Obituary

Malachi James Nakamura, age 8, of Eagle Mountain, Utah, passed away unexpectedly on January 20, 2026, after a brief illness. Malachi was born on May 4, 2017, in Cottonwood, Arizona, and from the very beginning, he was curious, bright-eyed, adventurous, and full of wonder about the world and everything beyond it.

Malachi later moved to Utah with his family and was currently in the second grade at Wonder Tutorial School in Draper, Utah, where he loved learning and exploring new ideas.

Malachi loved to play, to explore, and to discover. He was a builder and inventor at heart-whether creating extraordinary structures out of Legos or designing entire worlds inside Minecraft. He could engineer things in ways that astonished even the adults around him, imagining skyscrapers with portals, and asking endless questions about the tallest and smallest things on earth. Numbers delighted him, and his favorite was always "a Googolplex," which he imagined as the biggest number possible.

He was a boy of both faith and imagination. Malachi believed deeply in Jesus, heaven, and the unseen mysteries of the world-cryptids, ghosts, hidden treasures, and miraculous things his dad would tell him stories about. He asked big questions about the afterlife, about God, and about how heaven worked. He was easy-going, sweet, and endlessly curious, and he found joy in the smallest creations and the biggest ideas.

He loved Mom's garlic knots, taquitos, Domino's pizza, roller skating, Lego-building channels, tiny cities, reading, his stuffed animals, and Minecraft (especially the Minecraft YouTuber "Craftee"). He woke with the sun every morning (long before anyone else). He would curl up on the couch with a frozen peanut butter and jelly sandwich-his signature breakfast-while playing Minecraft, My Little Universe, or Creatures of the Deep on his tablet. He also loved animals of all kinds, especially megalodons, and he adored exploring nature and learning about the weirdest creatures on earth. He took ninja class and was proud of how high he could jump and climb.

Malachi was an extraordinary big brother to Kira. Their days were full of stories, games, tickling, wrestling, and bargaining over who got to lie next to Mom and Dad at bedtime. Most nights, he would be on one side, Kira on the other, both of them laughing, jostling, and negotiating for more time before sleep. He was gentle, kind-hearted, thoughtful, and protective-loving his sister fiercely and celebrating her every victory. Some of the family's favorite memories were the days they spent playing in the ocean together, watching him explore the shoreline with curiosity and pure wonder.

He loved deeply and was deeply loved in return. As a son, he was affectionate, goofy, helpful, and proud of every new thing he learned. His family remembers the way he would shout, "Dad, get me this!" from across the house, knowing he'd be heard, and the way he lit up the room with his smile. He taught his parents and those around him to be kinder, to care more, to love more, and to hug their loved ones tighter.

He is survived by his parents, Steven and Carly Nakamura, his older brother Atma, and his little sister, Kira; his grandparents Marie and Richard Nakamura, and Sue Pierce; and by many aunts, uncles, cousins, godparents, and cherished friends. He is also survived by his beloved pets-cats Maverick and Mia, terrariums of tarantulas, two gerbils (one blind and delightfully quirky), a gecko, and his own cherished ant colony.

Malachi was preceded in death by his maternal grandfather, James Pierce, and his uncle Eric Pierce.

His passing was sudden and without warning after a brief illness. The family is still awaiting answers, and his loss leaves a profound grief that cannot be measured, only carried.

A viewing will be held on Saturday, February 7, 2026, from 1:00-2:00 PM, followed by memorial services beginning at 2:00 PM, at Redemption Hill Church, 9517 Mount Airey Dr., Eagle Mountain, Utah 84005. All who knew and loved Malachi are invited to attend.

Instead of flowers, the Nakamura family will be relocating to New Jersey to lay Malachi to rest beside his grandfather and uncle. A GoFundMe has been created to assist with the costs of transporting him home and supporting the family through this transition. Contributions of any size are deeply appreciated and received with gratitude.

In his eight short years, Malachi brought wonder, humor, tenderness, and imagination to every place he touched. He will be remembered for his brilliant questions, his love of Jesus, his goofy laugh, his chill mornings with frozen PB&Js, his compassion, and his curiosity about both heaven and the strangest corners of the world. Above all, he valued the things that mattered most-faith, family, friendship, and love.

If his mother could tell him one thing, it would be simply:

"I love you. And I miss you. I can't wait to see you again in heaven, surrounded by all the people and things we love."

If his father could tell him one thing, it would be:

"I love you so much, Malachi, and I am so proud of you. You were just like me and loved all of the things I love. I miss you and cannot wait to see you again in heaven."

He will be deeply missed.

To donate, please click here: https://gofund.me/094144362