I sat down with Dino, an active member of San Bernardino County, to talk about his experience as a long-term resident of the Inland Empire. It was interesting to hear about his experiences both in the I.E. and abroad. I was surprised to learn that he was married for 12 years in Austria, and that he had a daughter there who he missed dearly. I got the impression that he had brought some of that longing back with him when he returned due to Covid. He told me about how difficult it was to be away from his family.
On the evening of September 27, 2022 Dino was riding his bike home when someone who looked like a young boy ran out of a nearby house and shot at him. The bullet grazed Dino's leg right across the chin, sending him flying off his bike and landing on the ground with a thud. When he regained consciousness, he was covered in dirt. "I don't know where the shot came from or why," said Dino. "But I do remember thinking that my life was about to end before I had even gotten the chance to live it." Dino survived the shooting, but suffered from anxiety attacks for months afterward. "I used to be so confident," Dino said. "But after this happened, I couldn't even go outside without being nervous that someone would shoot me again!" The incident has taken its toll on Dino's personal life as well. After years living happily in Austria, Dino moved back to Inland Empire because Covid.
