By Collier County Sherriff Officer Cristian Nino
My name is Cristian Nino and I have proudly served with the Collier County Sheriff’s Office for 25 years. I began my career as a corrections officer, later returned to school to study finance, and now serve as an accountant within the same agency. Over the years, I’ve seen our community face many challenges, but nothing prepared me for what my own family would endure—or for the outpouring of compassion and support we would receive from the Collier County 100 Club during the most difficult time of our lives.
Our son, Dominick, was ten years old in 2020. He was healthy, active, and full of life. He loved playing soccer and video games, and like most kids his age, he had endless energy. One evening after soccer practice, he said he wasn’t feeling well. At first, we thought it was just fatigue. But over the next few days, his energy declined, and he began to complain of pain in his legs. Then we noticed something alarming—blood pooling between his toes. My wife rushed him to the ER in Naples while I stayed home with our two other children. As any parent would, I started searching online, and my heart sank as I read about blood disorders and cancers that could cause those symptoms.
The ER doctors decided Dominick needed to be transferred to a children’s hospital. When they loaded him into the ambulance, I knew this was serious. At Golisano Children’s Hospital in Fort Myers, a team of doctors and specialists ran test after test. Finally, they confirmed what I had feared — Dominick had Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer usually seen in adults.
Hearing that diagnosis was devastating. I kept asking “Why him? How could this happen?” But we didn’t have time to dwell on the “why.” We had to focus on treatment. Dominick began chemotherapy immediately, and our family went through genetic testing to find a bone marrow donor. Miraculously, our daughter was a perfect match.
The first three rounds of chemo were grueling. Dominick’s immune system was so fragile that he had to stay in the hospital for months. Still, he found ways to stay positive—building Legos, playing games, and showing a resilience that amazed everyone around him. Four months later, we were transferred to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg for his transplant. But when we arrived, we were told the cancer was still present, and the transplant couldn’t proceed. We went home heartbroken, out of options except for one more oral chemo regimen.
By June 2021, Dominick had spent much of the last year in and out of hospitals, weak and isolated from the world. I didn’t want to put him through anymore chemo so I began researching specialists across the country and discovered a promising clinical trial at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Insurance wouldn’t cover the air transport, and time was critical. Miraculously, just when it seemed impossible, we received word that transport had been approved. We made it to Houston just in time—and I’ll never forget the sense of hope I felt seeing that rainbow the morning we left.
At first, Dominick wasn’t immediately accepted into the trial. His liver and kidney functions were weak after so much treatment. The doctors gave us 21 days to improve his condition—something they said might not even be possible. But Dominick fought hard, and by sheer determination and faith, he was accepted. After only 28 days on the medication, his cancer cell count dropped from 49% to an astonishing 2%—one of the fastest responses the doctors had ever seen.
But our financial situation was unraveling. Between travel, medical bills, and months away from work, we were stretched to our limits. That’s when a coworker told me about the Collier County 100 Club. I reached out, explained our situation, and they quickly stepped in with financial support. Their assistance allowed us to pay for housing in Houston during Dominick’s continued treatment. We spent Christmas and New Year’s there as a family, and for the first time in months, we could breathe a little easier.
When Dominick later qualified for another maintenance clinical trial, the Collier County 100 Club once again stepped up again — helping us with travel expenses so he could continue receiving care in Houston. Their generosity carried us through an incredibly challenging year, both emotionally and financially.
On January 18th, 2022, Dominick underwent a bone marrow transplant — a turning point in his fight. After 18 days in the hospital, he was discharged, but strict post-transplant protocol required him to remain near the medical center for the first 100 days. We stayed in Houston during that entire period, focusing on his recovery and hoping for stability after months of uncertainty. Once Dominick completed those crucial 100 days, he was evaluated again and ultimately offered the opportunity to enroll in a second clinical trial, giving us renewed hope and a clearer path forward.
After nearly twelve months in Houston, we finally returned home. For the next two years, we traveled monthly for follow-up visits – first traveling by car and then eventually by plane once he got stronger. Today, he’s 15 years old, in remission, and thriving. He’s taller than me now—a full-blown teenager—and every day we’re grateful for his health.
As a first responder, I’ve always been the one to help others. I never imagined being on the receiving end of that help. But through this experience, I saw the true power of community. The Collier County 100 Club gave us more than financial aid—they gave us strength, hope, and the reassurance that we weren’t alone.
To anyone who supports or donates to the Collier County 100 Club, please know that your generosity changes lives. You gave my family the gift of time together and the ability to focus on healing when everything else felt impossible. We will forever be grateful.
Become a Collier County 100 Club Member for just $200 by visiting https://collier100club.org/membership/