Donald was stationed on a DD513 USS Terry destroyer at Iwo Jima during WWII.  One winter morning,  Donald’s ship came under fire.  He remembers the Japanese planes flying over head and dropping bombs on his ship.  About 30 minutes later, Donald’s ship was sunk.  He was stranded in the water for over a half hour while Japanese ships continued to fire upon him and his fellow sailors.  Unlike many of his less fortunate comrades, Donald was rescued by a nearby ship responding to their mayday.   Due to his injuries from the fall he suffered during the sinking of his ship, Donald required surgery on his back and has had back problems ever since.  The Navy re-assigned Donald to be a radio operator for the remainder of his enlistment and was later honorably discharged as a petty officer first class.

As Donald aged, his dental health declined.  Donald’s finances were very limited and he was unable to afford dental treatment.  Donald never requested a pension from the Navy because he wanted the money to go to other Veterans who were in greater need than himself.  During visits to the VA, Donald requested dental treatment for his ever increasing dental pain. He was informed that because he was not 100% disabled, they would not be able to treat his dental needs.  He was given a flier for the Sgt. Clint Ferrin Dental Clinic.

Donald was 83 years old when he arrived at the Sgt. Clint Ferrin Dental Clinic. His teeth were severely broken down and filled with cavities.  Too much damage had been done to save his teeth and dentures were needed.   Donald was able to have all his remaining teeth pulled and dentures made at no cost to him.  Donald expressed much gratitude to finally be able to smile again and eat without having pain.

During Donald’s treatments, a small lesion was discovered on his lower lip.  After removal and biopsy, this lesion turned out to be pre-cancerous.  If left untreated, this lesion could have easily been life threatening in the near future.

Donald’s example of service to our country is unforgettable.  We are honored to be able to say “thank you” by providing him with a new smile.