David Heilwagen

The Crossing David Heilwagen

In the summer of 1983, Rafael Gregorio, a poor Cuban fisherman, loaded his small family into a makeshift boat and escaped Communist Cuba forever. Their ultimate destination: Key West, Florida. But first they had to cross the treacherous waters of the Gulf Stream. This is their story. An epic adventure that has Rafael and his family battling deadly sharks, fighting hunger and thirst, as well as nearly being tossed into the ocean by a massive tropical storm. At around 130 pages in length, The Crossing is a novella of classic simplicity in every way, reminiscent of Hemingway's, The Old Man and the Sea, or Steinbeck's, The Pearl. The story explores the themes of love and family, courage in the face of danger, triumph in the face of loss, as well as showing us what one family is willing to endure in their quest for freedom.