'Be Kind:' Car crash on Tacony-Palmyra Bridge leads man to life-changing smile
"With my ex, we went to a wedding, and she told me not to open my mouth and it brought me to tears," Greg said.
FAIRLESS HILLS, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- A man named Greg hasn't stopped smiling since a car crash changed his life.
It happened in early February when Greg collided with Cecilly Rudalavage of Ambler, Pennsylvania on the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge.
Cecilly is a sales representative for Ditron Dental Implants.
Cecilly said Greg was very apologetic about the crash. While they were speaking, she noticed that Greg was missing most of his teeth.
She decided to ask him about it since she works in the dental industry.
His response was heartbreaking.
"The looks I get without my teeth... and with my ex, we went to a wedding, and she told me not to open my mouth and it brought me to tears," Greg said.
Cecilly decided to use her connections to try to help Greg. She reached out to Dr. Simon Oh, an implant surgeon in Fairless Hills.
Dr. Oh used state-of-the-art technology, including a 3D printed model of Greg's skull, to determine that he did not have any bone in his upper jaw. That made it impossible for Greg to wear dentures.
Dr. Oh and his team, including anesthesiologist Dr. Omar Shariff and lab technician German Lee, volunteered their time and services for free to help Greg.
Now Greg has a brand new, permanent set of implants.
"If it wasn't for everybody willing to work late and work at no cost then this wouldn't have happened for Greg," Cecilly said. "It's kind of amazing that everything came together like this and I'm so proud of being a part of something this big."
"It's just really gratifying to not only have the skills to pull this off for somebody in need, but also work with such an awesome team that is so easily convinced to give back," Dr. Oh said.
Cecilly's employer, Ditron Dental USA, issued a statement on the act of kindness.
"We are thrilled to be part of this life-transforming event and are extremely proud of Ms. Rudalavage and Dr. Simon Oh. Their selfless acts of kindness and giving represent what Ditron Dental is all about," the company said.
Meantime, Greg can't wait to get back to eating his favorite foods - and just smiling.
