In the course of running seminars and giving talks on freedom, I have met many admirable people. One of the most memorable recently died. Pedro A. Diaz died at the age of 67. He was a Cato Institute Benefactor, a successful entrepreneur, and a great lover of freedom and of his adopted country, the United States.
Pedro floated over to the U.S. from Cuba as a young man and started painting houses. He mastered English (although his Spanish always remained with him and elegantly accented his English) and finished school. His work as a house painter not only earned him a good living, but gave him an insight into business. As he told me, “I realized that I didn’t just paint things. I coated them.” The result of that simple insight was Boyd Coatings Research, the firm he organized to coat virtually anything and everything you could imagine, from components of rockets to the tiny stents that are inserted into arteries and pop open to keep the flow of blood steady. I have cited him many times in talks about the morality of business enterprise. He was an inspiring person.
Pedro loved his work. He loved his country. He loved freedom. And he loved his Sandra, his partner of 11 years. His last words, as he died in her arms, were “Mi Sandra.”
Pedro A. Diaz, R.I.P.
Pedro Diaz sounds like he was a truly interesting person. I’m sorry for Sandra’s loss, but I also think she was fortunate to have such a love in her life.