The most recent example of his generosity, of his always proactive and modern look at Malindi and his community, of his entrepreneurial mentality applied to making life better for others, was last 24 August, in the conference room of Kilili Baharini in the presence of the Italian Ambassador to Kenya.
On that occasion Mario Aquilino distributed cash prizes to local craftsmen who work with recycled materials, aimed at teaching others their craft and their creativity.
It's hard to think and write, but Mario Aquilino is gone.
He left suddenly at the age of 51 for an illness in his house in Treviglio, in the Bergamo area where he lived with his splendid family.
He lived, but not too much, because Mario "Max" was a globetrotter full of ideas, ideas, projects and travelled around Italy and the world. Granting himself, and woe to give up, a month and a half a year in Malindi.
His love for this place had led him to transfer his intuition of a pole of entrepreneurs of luxury and style, "Maxlife".  An exclusive club, with the (winning) idea of bringing together Italian entrepreneurs, creating synergies and partnerships that can give them more strength and visibility in proposing their products nationally and internationally.
An excellent company, a network that in a few years by twenty companies was already tenfold. It wasn't difficult for Mario, because there was no distance between the man and the manager. It was the same in everyday life: a driver, a great aggregator, an explosion of (pro)positivity.
In Malindi in 2018 we invented the Music Festival, rewarding in a substantial way thanks to the funds raised in his evenings Maxlife, a series of local musicians who thanks to his commitment today have instruments and opportunities to play in the premises of the Kenyan coast and live off their talent.
Mario brought an internationally renowned conductor, his friend Paolo Belloli, and a choir for a peace song sung by 40 Kenyan children came out.
There are many more beautiful stories, on the Treviglio-Malindi axis, but telling them without being able to smile together with Mario and without hearing him say "there is no time for sadness, brother" is an immense pain.
Remembering his true love for this land, his understanding of its merits and defects without ever making it a boast, is the least we can do.
Seeing him among the children of the Children's Centre "Asante sana" in Mambrui, which he has been supporting for years, at dinners in his cozy villa in Kibokoni, where he could happily bring together people who perhaps would never even greet each other (but in the name of Malindi), to fall in love with Kenya professionals of all kinds, organizing them from safari to fish eating, from the exciting sunset over the creek of Kilifi to the nightlife dancer, is the best way to greet him with a smile.
"It's a pity to complain", he often repeated, almost like a mantra.
And he added "I'm a lucky man".
A fortune too, too short.