Thoughts on Ili's warmth and wisdom by her cousin Armando

My first memory of Ili was of sitting together in the back of a car going to Santa Maria del Mar, a remote beach east of La Habana. In the 1950s there were concerns with polio and other diseases, so her dad Victor insisted that his family avoid swimming pools and crowded urban beaches. He hired a private driver to take them and relatives to Santa Maria. I remember that Ili struck me as a very sweet and loving little girl.

My impression turned out to be very true. Ili was always very warm and kind to me in numerous occasions. She (along with Dan) was particularly helpful to me when Grace was terminally ill. I remember vividly a conversation in which Ili assured me I would be able to adjust and live a meaningful life after Grace's death.

When Alicia came into my life, Ili was very welcoming from the start, for which we are both very grateful.

Alicia and I will always remember Ili as a wonderful person whose qualities we should all try to emulate. May she rest in peace and continue to inspire us!