Southwest Florida veterans honored during round trip honor flightPath to freedom: From Cuban prison to NCH operating room
PUNTA GORDA Southwest Florida veterans honored during round trip honor flight Veterans from Southwest Florida made a round trip to Washington, DC, and back in honor of their service.
NAPLES Path to freedom: From Cuban prison to NCH operating room It’s rare that a serious heart condition is a blessing, but that was the case for a Naples man. The surgery he received at NCH saved his life in more ways than one.
SANIBEL Changing landscape after hurricanes Many of you know what saltwater surge does to your homes after surviving hurricanes Ian, Helene and Milton. It’s highly corrosive and destructive. It also has a similar impact on plants and wildlife, but that’s not all bad news.
Former FGCU basketball player talks Karl Smesko joining WNBA Las Vegas Aces guard Kierstan Bell made a lot of memories playing at FGCU. From winning ASUN championships to playing for one of the winningest coaches in the sport Karl Smesko.
LEHIGH ACRES Suspicious fire sparks at Lehigh Acres church Daycare services at one church are canceled after a small fire at Victory church in Lehigh Acres.
State of Florida sues FEMA for ‘conspiracy to interfere with civil rights’ The State of Florida is suing the Federal Emergency Management Agency for “conspiring to interfere with civil rights,” according to an official complaint filed by Florida Attorney General Ashely Moody.
WINK NEWS Game of the Week: Cape Coral Seahawks vs. Immokalee Indians The Seahawks are undefeated on the road and the Indians have never lost on home turf. Friday night only one will advance to round two.
Disaster assistance available for Charlotte County residents Charlotte County residents affected by hurricanes Ian, Helene or Milton can now apply for disaster assistance from local resources through Community Organizations Active in a Disaster (COAD).
Great Wolf Lodge celebrates grand opening with Rob Gronkowski Pack your trunks. We’re taking you to the grand opening of the Great Wolf Lodge resort in Collier County.
BOCA GRANDE Lee County issues red tide alert near Boca Grande Pass The Florida Department of Health in Lee County has issued a health alert for the presence of red tide near Boca Grande Pass.
LEHIGH ACRES Lehigh Acres parent arrested after allegedly assaulting school bus driver A Lehigh Acres parent is facing charges accused of assaulting a school bus driver. Neighbors told WINK News it began with a screaming match Friday afternoon.
CAPE CORAL Cape police believe retail burglaries are linked Detectives believe a man is linked to multiple burglaries in Southwest Florida.
ESTERO Driver charged with DUI after crashing SUV into restaurant in Gulf Coast Town Center The driver of an SUV that crashed into a restaurant at the Gulf Coast Town Center in Estero has been charged with DUI.
Tesla issues sixth Cybertruck recall in a year, over 2,400 vehicles affected Tesla stock might be up, but their Cybertrucks have another recall for their drivers to deal with.
Great Wolf Lodge celebrates grand opening, economic impact in Collier County With pomp, circumstance and an appearance from retired NFL player Rob Gronkowski, Great Wolf Lodge celebrated both its grand opening and its economic impact for Collier County.
PUNTA GORDA Southwest Florida veterans honored during round trip honor flight Veterans from Southwest Florida made a round trip to Washington, DC, and back in honor of their service.
NAPLES Path to freedom: From Cuban prison to NCH operating room It’s rare that a serious heart condition is a blessing, but that was the case for a Naples man. The surgery he received at NCH saved his life in more ways than one.
SANIBEL Changing landscape after hurricanes Many of you know what saltwater surge does to your homes after surviving hurricanes Ian, Helene and Milton. It’s highly corrosive and destructive. It also has a similar impact on plants and wildlife, but that’s not all bad news.
Former FGCU basketball player talks Karl Smesko joining WNBA Las Vegas Aces guard Kierstan Bell made a lot of memories playing at FGCU. From winning ASUN championships to playing for one of the winningest coaches in the sport Karl Smesko.
LEHIGH ACRES Suspicious fire sparks at Lehigh Acres church Daycare services at one church are canceled after a small fire at Victory church in Lehigh Acres.
State of Florida sues FEMA for ‘conspiracy to interfere with civil rights’ The State of Florida is suing the Federal Emergency Management Agency for “conspiring to interfere with civil rights,” according to an official complaint filed by Florida Attorney General Ashely Moody.
WINK NEWS Game of the Week: Cape Coral Seahawks vs. Immokalee Indians The Seahawks are undefeated on the road and the Indians have never lost on home turf. Friday night only one will advance to round two.
Disaster assistance available for Charlotte County residents Charlotte County residents affected by hurricanes Ian, Helene or Milton can now apply for disaster assistance from local resources through Community Organizations Active in a Disaster (COAD).
Great Wolf Lodge celebrates grand opening with Rob Gronkowski Pack your trunks. We’re taking you to the grand opening of the Great Wolf Lodge resort in Collier County.
BOCA GRANDE Lee County issues red tide alert near Boca Grande Pass The Florida Department of Health in Lee County has issued a health alert for the presence of red tide near Boca Grande Pass.
LEHIGH ACRES Lehigh Acres parent arrested after allegedly assaulting school bus driver A Lehigh Acres parent is facing charges accused of assaulting a school bus driver. Neighbors told WINK News it began with a screaming match Friday afternoon.
CAPE CORAL Cape police believe retail burglaries are linked Detectives believe a man is linked to multiple burglaries in Southwest Florida.
ESTERO Driver charged with DUI after crashing SUV into restaurant in Gulf Coast Town Center The driver of an SUV that crashed into a restaurant at the Gulf Coast Town Center in Estero has been charged with DUI.
Tesla issues sixth Cybertruck recall in a year, over 2,400 vehicles affected Tesla stock might be up, but their Cybertrucks have another recall for their drivers to deal with.
Great Wolf Lodge celebrates grand opening, economic impact in Collier County With pomp, circumstance and an appearance from retired NFL player Rob Gronkowski, Great Wolf Lodge celebrated both its grand opening and its economic impact for Collier County.
It’s rare that a serious heart condition is a blessing, but that was the case for a Naples man. The surgery he received at NCH saved his life in more ways than one. Robert Perez and his wife Nancy Reyes’s path to Florida and freedom was long and complicated. Born in Cuba, he came to the U.S. in 1989 and moved back to his homeland in 2015. “I decided to go to Cuba and buy a house and a car, and that was illegal, being Cuban-American, so they got me there, and they put me in jail,” he told WINK News health and medical reporter Amy Oshier. The charges that landed Perez in prison were money laundering and tax evasion. For those crimes, he was sentenced to 15 years. About seven years in, Perez started experiencing chest pain. “They had no medicine. They got nothing, so the chest pain kept going and going,” Perez said. Tests showed he needed major surgery to fix blockages in his heart—something the prison system in Cuba couldn’t provide. His life was in the balance, but Perez found himself in no-man’s land, stuck between Cuban and U.S. policies. He hoped the U.S. government would get him out of jail so that he could come back to the states for an operation. “They agreed with the certificate, saying that I do need open heart surgery, but they wanted the medical institution in Cuba to write a letter saying that this kind of procedure can’t be done in Cuba,” he said A spokesperson from the U.S. State Department sent WINK News an email stating that due to privacy concerns they “don’t discuss individual cases of U.S. citizens.” Paperwork shows that after nine years in prison, Cuba’s Supreme Court granted Perez a conditional release allowing him to take a freedom flight to American for open heart surgery. Five days after landing on U.S. soil, he went to the emergency room at NCH. “His disease developed over a year and certainly got to a critical point,” said cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Robert Pascotto. “So critical that really, at any time, he could have had a pretty massive heart attack.” He went on to say Perez’ case was not particularly complicated. It was a standard three-vessel bypass. While a triple bypass operation isn’t uncommon in this country, it is still complex. “We get a vein from the leg artery, from the forearm and use an artery from the chest wall to do the bypasses,” said Dr. Pascotto, “and so the bypasses go around the blockages onto the heart and provide strong blood flow.” Perez sailed through surgery at NCH, his newly repaired heart full of gratitude. “He saved my life. He really saved my life,” said Perez about his surgeon. “First of all, this is a very unique situation. And again, it’s just an honor to be able to take care of someone like him,” said Dr. Pascotto. In his argument for the Cuban court system, attorneys for Perez cited language the Cuban government made to the United Nations, claiming that U.S. sanctions negatively impacted their ability to get medical supplies and ultimately provide care. That public claim made the difference in getting him out of prison.