He also worked in the fields picking fruits and coffee beans and as a waterboy, delivered water to the sugar cane workers.
[3] In 1974, during the celebration of the FIBA World Basketball Championships celebrated in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Birriel was the guest of honor and was invited to the basketball court, in front of all the spectators he dunked the ball without jumping, a standing ovation followed.
His health, however had worsened progressively and he died from a heart attack on March 15, 1994, at the age of 77, in Carolina, Puerto Rico.
He was buried at Cementerio Municipal La Santa Cruz in Carolina, Puerto Rico.
Birriel was unique in reaching a relatively old age while being as tall as he was; most extremely tall people tend to experience serious disabling medical conditions such as the ones that eventually crippled, and then killed, Robert Wadlow (the tallest human during his lifetime) at an early age.