PONTIAC, Mich. (WXYZ) — For years, it was extremely difficult for Jeremiah Johnson to eat, speak, and be himself. That changed when he walked out of Royal Chiropractic and Dental Clinic in Pontiac with much more than a smile — it was a life-changing transformation.
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"Without having teeth, you shy away from people," Johnson said. "You don't say what you want to say, you don't spend time how you want to spend it. You want to get out of situations instead of really have the moments you know."
Johnson, an Indiana native, lost his identical twin brother, Cody, in a car crash and fell into addiction in the aftermath. He recovered, and what began as a solo escape through fishing turned into something far greater.
"You know, fishing helped me get out of a very dark spot in life, but it also has helped me make friends and brought me closer to people," Johnson said. "Fishing has done more for me than I can explain."
A video of Johnson's aunt gifting him a fishing rod for Christmas caught the attention of West Bloomfield resident Mike McKinstry, host of "The Bassquatch Hunter: Fish out of Water" on the Discovery Channel.
"I got this video sent to me by probably 30-40 people the day it posted," McKinstry said. "I do a lot of pay-it-forward stuff, not only all year long but around the holidays, I do a lot of big ones."
McKinstry invited Johnson out to fish, surprising him with a fishing shopping spree. But the generosity didn't stop there.
"After meeting him that day, I heard about his insecurities with his teeth and all the troubles he went through," McKinstry said. "I was like, you know what, he's done the work, and now he deserves the reward."
McKinstry spent 4 months searching for the right dentist before arranging a $10,000 smile makeover for Johnson. Thursday was the big reveal at Royal Chiropractic and Dental Clinic in Pontiac.
"I told yeah, let's get started," said Dr. Dev Oza of Royal Chiropractic & Dental Clinic. "Let's start working on it right now, and let's get him a new smile."
For Johnson, the moment he looked in the mirror and saw himself again was one he had waited a decade for.
"I know my life is going to change, and it's exciting," Johnson said. "It’s also nerve-wracking and scary, but I’m ready for it.”
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