Above: Olivia Passaretti during the 2021 softball season. Photo by Chuck Nadeau

The Town Council voted 5-0 Monday (6/12/23) to approve the dedication of the softball field at East Greenwich High School to Olivia Rose Passaretti. Olivia was killed at age 17 after another driver – now awaiting trial on a variety of charges relating to the incident – hit the car she was driving on Route 95 early Jan. 1, 2022.

Olivia’s two sisters, Victoria and Jacqueline, told council members how important softball was to Olivia and the whole Passaretti family, recalling how their father, Michael – who himself died in 2015 – would often bring them there to practice. Olivia had been going to that field since she was 3 years old, they said. All three Passaretti girls played softball for East Greenwich High School, with Olivia cheering on her older sisters before she was finally able to join the team herself. Sadly, she only had one season – her sophomore year – after her freshman season was cancelled because of the Covid pandemic.

Noting that Olivia wore #3 as a centerfielder for the Avengers, Victoria said, “She will always be our angel #3 in the outfield.”

After the vote, Olivia’s mother, Janine Passaretti-Molloy said, “I’m usually one for a lot of words. This is making me speechless right now because it is just surreal. It is so important because it keeps her light alive, it keeps her name out there….. Softball has been such a huge part of our lives and I’m so thankful to have that. I’m so thankful that everyone sees it.”