In 2001, Kristen Forrester (Tracy Melchior), daughter of Forrester Creations founders Eric and Stephanie Forrester, got married to Antonio "Tony" Dominguez (Paulo Benedeti), per Soap Central. Though their relationship had its ups and downs, as the two were both fashion designers at competing companies, their love had persevered. The two went on a honeymoon in Africa and while there they lost a roll of film that held all of the photos from their trip. However, a young local boy soon tracked them down and returned it to them. The couple was smitten with the charming boy named Zende and learned that both of his parents and his brother had died due to complications from AIDS. Zende was living at an orphanage at the time and they discovered that he would be put out on the streets once he became too old to live there.
Kristen and Tony returned to Los Angeles following their honeymoon, but they couldn't get the thought of the young boy they'd met out of their heads. Tony was living with his own HIV+ diagnosis which only strengthened the bond he felt with Zende (via SoapHub). The newlyweds swiftly returned to Africa and made the decision to adopt Zende and bring him home to America with them. They ultimately gave the boy both of their last names and he became Zende Forrester Dominguez, a member of one of LA's most prominent families.
