Dominic Nunez

Dominic Arturo Nuñez, 18, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, passed away peacefully at home on September 1, 2026, surrounded by the people who loved him most and under the compassionate care of BRiO Home Health & Hospice.

Dominic was born on February 29, 2008, in Idaho Falls, Idaho, to Arturo Nuñez and Shanna Thomson Nuñez. He was raised in Idaho Falls alongside his brothers and sister, where he grew into the kind of kid who never really met an adventure he didn’t want to try. In 2026, Dominic proudly graduated from Thunder Ridge High School.

If you knew Dom, you knew life was meant to be lived; and he lived it BIG.

Dom loved the outdoors and could usually be found doing something that involved a little dirt, a little adrenaline, and probably a story to tell afterward. He loved riding his dirt bike, camping, swimming, golfing, snowboarding, shooting, and anything that gave him the freedom to get outside and have some fun. He was a football player, a die-hard Denver Broncos fan, and a lover of music who enjoyed playing the guitar.

And then there were the adventures.

During the final months of his life, when most people would have understandably slowed down, Dom seemed to decide that slowing down simply wasn’t an option. With the help of an incredible community that rallied around him, Dom tackled a bucket list that turned into a collection of memories far bigger than anyone could have imagined.

He went places, tried things, laughed until his cheeks hurt, and made memories that his family will treasure forever. He rode in a Black Hawk helicopter, experienced the thrill of adventures that most people only dream about, spent time outdoors, golfed, snowboarded, rode dirt bikes, swam, camped, and squeezed every ounce of life he could out of the time he was given.

There were smiles, there was laughter, there were probably a few questionable decisions along the way; and there were countless moments when Dom got to simply be a kid.

Those adventures weren’t just things to check off a list. They were moments of freedom. Moments when cancer wasn’t the first thing on anyone’s mind. Moments when Dom wasn’t a patient; he was just Dom. A teenager living, laughing, exploring, and making memories with the people he loved.

Dom’s journey through cancer was never the story his family had hoped to tell. But somewhere along the way, he turned a heartbreaking diagnosis into something much bigger. He showed people what it means to keep going when life is unfair. He showed people how to find joy in the middle of pain. He reminded everyone around him that tomorrow is never promised, so you better make today count.

He had an incredible ability to wake up each morning and face whatever came his way with a positive attitude. His strength wasn’t that he wasn’t afraid or hurting; it was that he kept choosing life anyway.

Dom was also a young man of faith. He was a member of Pope Saint John Paul II Parish, and his faith was an important part of his life. Through everything he endured, his family continued to place their trust in God, believing that Dom’s life had a purpose far greater than the number of years he was given.

And perhaps that was Dom’s greatest adventure of all: showing the rest of us how to live.

Dom was deeply, fiercely, and completely loved by his family. He was a beloved son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin, friend, teammate, and so much more. His life may have been far too short, but it was never small. He left an enormous imprint on the people who knew him; and on countless people who followed his journey from near and far.

He is survived by his parents, Arturo and Shanna Nuñez of Idaho Falls; his brothers, Christian Nuñez and Ezequiel Nuñez of Idaho Falls; his sister, Arielle Nuñez of Idaho Falls; his grandparents, Anastacio and Roselia Nuñez of Rigby; and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins whom he loved deeply.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, John and Berta Ray.

Dom may have left this world far sooner than any of us were ready to let him go, but he didn’t leave without a fight; and he certainly didn’t leave without leaving his mark.

His family will remember his laugh, his smile, his stubbornness, his adventurous spirit, his love for the outdoors, his guitar, his dirt bike, his Broncos, and all the little things that made him uniquely Dom.

They will remember the adventures.

They will remember the laughter.

They will remember the boy who refused to let cancer define him.

And they will remember the incredible gift of getting to call him son, brother, grandson, and friend.

Most of all, they will carry with them the lesson Dom taught so many people simply by the way he lived:

Don’t wait for tomorrow. Go on the adventure. Make the memory. Take the picture. Laugh until your stomach hurts. Love your people hard. And live this one wild, beautiful life you’ve been given.

Dom, your adventure here may be over, but your story isn’t.

Until we meet again, buddy. We love you more than you’ll ever know.

A funeral service honoring Dominic’s life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 5, 2026, at Wood Funeral Home, 273 N. Ridge Avenue, Idaho Falls.

A rosary will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Friday evening, followed by visitation until 8:00 p.m. A second visitation will be held Saturday morning from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. at the funeral home prior to the service. Burial will be in the Ammon Cemetery.

Services will be broadcast live and condolences may be sent to www.woodfuneralhome.com.

A luncheon will be held at Thunder Ridge High School following the burial.

May Dominic rest in eternal peace, and may his next adventure be the greatest one yet.