News
Fort Wayne Boy with Cancer Gets Surprise Pool From Local Company: “Thank You for Everything You’ve Done”
<p data-start="480" data-end="687">When 11-year-old Dominic Durnell leapt into the water with his friends on Thursday afternoon, it wasn’t just about the splash. It was about joy, freedom — and the first real sign that things were looking up.</p>
<p data-start="689" data-end="1032">Dominic, who was diagnosed with B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in January, has spent most of this year in and out of hospitals. But now, thanks to a Fort Wayne business that stepped in when they didn’t have to, he’s finally enjoying the kind of summer every kid deserves: one filled with laughter, cannonballs, and the company of friends.</p>
<h2 data-start="1034" data-end="1088">A Pool Born from Hope — and One Mom’s Determination</h2>
<p data-start="1090" data-end="1273">The idea started with a wish and a letter. Cristina Ray-Durnell, Dominic’s mom, didn’t know if anyone would respond. But her friend Melissa Weaver wasn’t willing to just wait and see.</p>
<p data-start="1275" data-end="1357">She wrote to pool companies across Indiana, hoping someone would say yes. One did.</p>
<p data-start="1359" data-end="1540">“I was pure excitement,” Weaver recalled. “I was driving when they called and I had to pull over. I just screamed into the phone, ‘You’re getting a pool!’ It didn’t even feel real.”</p>
<p data-start="1542" data-end="1642">Tredway Pools didn’t hesitate. They stepped up and offered to build Dominic a pool — free of charge.</p>
<p data-start="1644" data-end="1688">Just like that, an idea turned into reality.</p>
<p data-start="1644" data-end="1688"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-13121" src="https://budgyapp.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Fort-Wayne-Boy-with-Cancer-Gets-Surprise-Pool-From-Local-Company.jpg" alt="Fort Wayne Boy with Cancer Gets Surprise Pool From Local Company" width="825" height="445" /></p>
<h2 data-start="1690" data-end="1732">Months of Pain, Then a Moment of Relief</h2>
<p data-start="1734" data-end="1934">January through April was a blur of chemo, needles, fevers, and fatigue. Cristina said there were days she didn’t recognize her own son — the sparkle in his eyes dimmed by endless rounds of treatment.</p>
<p data-start="1936" data-end="2061">“He was just so sick,” she said, her voice cracking. “I was trying to stay strong, but every day felt heavier than the last.”</p>
<p data-start="2063" data-end="2272">But recently, something shifted. His body started responding. His spirit came back. Just last week, Dominic felt well enough to attend a summer camp — a small miracle, given where he’d been just weeks earlier.</p>
<p data-start="2274" data-end="2327">And now, he’s got something else to lift his spirits.</p>
<h2 data-start="2329" data-end="2356">Splashing Back Into Life</h2>
<p data-start="2358" data-end="2427">Dominic was beaming when he jumped into the water for the first time.</p>
<p data-start="2429" data-end="2593">“I’m happy that I got out of the hospital earlier than expected,” he said, dripping wet, still grinning. “And I’m happy that I could jump in today with my friends.”</p>
<p data-start="2595" data-end="2695">The pool isn’t just water and tiles. It’s a symbol — of recovery, of kindness, of how far he’s come.</p>
<p data-start="2697" data-end="2836">For Cristina, watching her son laugh and play again was almost surreal. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen him like this,” she said softly.</p>
<p data-start="2838" data-end="2996">And for the team at Tredway Pools, the moment hit home too. One employee admitted, “We build pools all the time. But this one… this one meant something more.”</p>
<h2 data-start="2998" data-end="3025">How It All Came Together</h2>
<p data-start="3027" data-end="3176">The logistics weren’t easy. There were permits, materials, labor hours. It would’ve been simpler — and cheaper — for the company to politely decline.</p>
<p data-start="3178" data-end="3194">But they didn’t.</p>
<p data-start="3196" data-end="3234">They got their hands dirty. Literally.</p>
<p data-start="3236" data-end="3266">A few facts about the project:</p>
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<p data-start="3270" data-end="3327">The pool was custom-designed for Dominic’s size and needs</p>
</li>
<li data-start="3328" data-end="3373">
<p data-start="3330" data-end="3373">The company donated all materials and labor</p>
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<p data-start="3376" data-end="3450">Construction was fast-tracked to coincide with Dominic’s recovery timeline</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p data-start="3452" data-end="3556">“We just wanted to give him something to look forward to,” a company rep said. “Something to fight for.”</p>
<h2 data-start="3558" data-end="3582">More Than Just a Pool</h2>
<p data-start="3584" data-end="3659">This wasn’t just a nice gesture. For the Durnell family, it was a lifeline.</p>
<p data-start="3661" data-end="3834">Being in treatment for cancer isn’t just physically brutal. It’s emotionally exhausting. The isolation, the fear, the long nights in hospital rooms — it wears families down.</p>
<p data-start="3836" data-end="3875">That’s why something like this matters.</p>
<p data-start="3877" data-end="3989">It’s not about luxury. It’s about <em data-start="3911" data-end="3921">normalcy</em>. It’s about giving a kid a reason to get out of bed in the morning.</p>
<p data-start="3991" data-end="4129">One neighbor, watching Dominic swim, said it best: “He’s just a boy again. Not a patient. Not a case file. Just a kid playing in the sun.”</p>
<h2 data-start="4131" data-end="4169">Strangers Who Showed Up Like Family</h2>
<p data-start="4171" data-end="4259">Cristina never expected a stranger to say yes. Let alone build a dream pool for her son.</p>
<p data-start="4261" data-end="4416">“Honestly, I still can’t believe it,” she said, looking out at the finished project. “I thought maybe we’d get a donation or two. But this… this was love.”</p>
<p data-start="4418" data-end="4489">She hugged Melissa Weaver and whispered, “Thank you for not giving up.”</p>
<p data-start="4491" data-end="4630">Dominic, meanwhile, had his own way of saying thanks. As the team from Tredway packed up their tools, he ran over and said, loud and clear:</p>
<p data-start="4632" data-end="4671">“Thank you for everything you’ve done!”</p>