Evelio Grillo

My heart is filled with sorrow upon hearing that Evelio has passed on... he was an amazing man, intelligent, kind,driven, selfless and always loving. He was far more then my fathers & mothers dear friend, he was family. No matter how old I got, every time I would see him I was greeted with a huge smile and him saying " There's my baby" followed by a warm & loving hug... He will be forever missed and loved by us all...We are all blessed for having him in our lives... May God bless & keep him...

Evelio and I were friends and fellow authors. Amazon will package both our books for a special price, and we talked of doing a joint tour. I met him in the early 90s, at his sister Sylvia's funeral in Tampa. She was my main collaborator in gathering the story of Afro-Cuban cigarmaker/revolutionists in Tampa. She spoke often of Evelio; she was so proud of his accomplishments. When I read his book manuscript, I understood what she meant. His book is a wonderful contribution and his life...

Evelio was a beloved friend and I want to express my thankfulness for his unselfish contribution to our friendship over the years. My condolences to the Grillo family.

Just heard of Evelio's passing today. As your neighbor at Old Town Square - 555 Tenth Street, Oakland, I missed you when you relocated. But, I am most grateful for the time we shared, the pleasure of your intellect in great conversation and your presence, which inspired many of us. I will always remember how proud you and we were on the publication of your autobiography and the author signing in the community room. Condolences to your family.

I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Grillo and read his book years ago. What a loss to the community. I would have loved to talk to him about my trip to
Cuba last spring