Zende Forrester Dominguez

Zende Forrester Dominguez is a fictional character in the CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. Actor Daniel E. Smith played the role from December 2001 until May 2002, and briefly returned in October 2005.

Character history

While honeymooning in Africa, newly-married Kristen (Tracy Melchior) and Tony Dominguez (Paulo Benedeti) noticed that their camera was missing. A mysterious boy showed up with the missing camera. As they began to talk to him they formed a bond with him. The boy, named Zende, invited them to visit him before they left the country.

Kristen and Antonio were shocked to discover that Zende had been orphaned when both parents died of AIDS. Zende had lived at an orphanage with his younger brother, but sadly, his brother also died of the disease. To help pay his way, Zende worked around the orphanage and helped take care of the younger children. Kristen and Tony discovered when Zende became too old to live in the orphanage he would probably end up on the streets or working anywhere he could find work.

On their return to Los Angeles, Kristen and Tony admitted that Zende had never left their thoughts. They had both been drafting letters to send him. Since Antonio had been battling HIV himself, he felt a special connection to Zende; the couple saw this as the first chance to have a family of their own. They decided to rush back to Africa and start adoption proceedings immediately. They legally adopted young Zende, choosing to give him both of their...
Read More