On March 5th, my sister Sophia and her boyfriend of ten years, Tino, had their lives changed forever.

Tino is the kind of person who would do anything for anyone. He’s loving, caring, and truly a big teddy bear. He has a heart of gold, always showing up when someone needs help, and he pours everything he has into the things he’s passionate about.

Sophia and Tino had just gotten home from the dog park and began their normal nightly routine when there was a knock on their door. Someone they had initially trusted brought five others to their home and fired over 18 shots as soon as Tino answered the door. Tino was hit six times, including one to the head, and although Sophia was by his side, she sustained no injuries.

Tino was rushed to the hospital where they performed a knee surgery, and he was kept under heavy monitoring for his head injury. Initially, the doctors opted to keep the bullet in his brain, stating the risk was too high to remove it. After a week, the doctors deemed Tino stable enough to be sent home. After moving to a room downstairs awaiting discharge, the doctors discovered that the bullet had migrated down towards Tino's spinal fluid.

Tino had to undergo two emergency surgeries in one day. The first was to remove the bullet from his head, a surgery that hasn't been done in Minnesota in the last 10 years, due to how rare it is for the bullet to move. The second surgery was to remove a part of his skull so that his brain would have room to swell and heal properly. After the second surgery, Tino was heavily sedated for two weeks to control his brain pressure.

During this time, Tino still had to fight against pneumonia, blood clots in his lungs, and fevers. He now has a trach in his throat along with a feeding tube. At this time, he is still slightly sedated with a high fever in the ICU.

The road to recovery will be long, requiring a lot of strength and determination to get back to the life he had. Doctors have said his recovery could take anywhere from 6-months to a year, not including the recovery time once he leaves the hospital. Tino will need at least one additional surgery to repair his skull in the coming weeks, but the future is unknown, and there may be more to come.

Sophia is doing everything she can, trying to stay strong for Tino while also managing life outside the hospital. The emotional toll is unimaginable, and the financial burden is growing quickly. Along with everyday bills, they now have to worry about relocating. Sophia no longer feels safe at her home with the suspects still at large, Tino will also need a safe home to return to when he is out of rehab.

If you are able to donate, even a small amount, it would mean the world. If you are unable to donate at this time, sharing their story helps bring awareness to the situation for all that were involved.

Most of all, we ask for your prayers, support, and strength for Tino and Sophia as they continue to navigate through this tragedy.