GET TED SOME TEETH!!!

On 9/05/2011, while on an elk hunting trip, my father, Ted, was involved in a very serious accident in which he suffered a gunshot wound to his face. The bullet passed through his jaw and tongue and continued through the roof of his mouth toward his spine, eventually coming to a stop just before hitting his spine, potentially paralyzing him. This happened three miles from the nearest road with the only access being by foot. My brother and I were at the car gathering more supplies for our much anticipated hunt, as we were walking back we were met by my father on the path.  Covered in blood and quickly loosing more, his jaw was obviously broken making an explantion as to what happened impossible.  All he could do was hold up his gun and point to his jaw. As he opened his mouth in an attempt to explain the siuation, my brother and I realized the extent of the damage. Ted was very aware of what happend though he was becoming pale and beginning to stumble. We helped him down the remaining two miles of trail and eventually reached the car. As we were frantically clearing out the truck to clear room for my dad, another hunter came to see what all the comotion was about. He soon realized the situation and without hesitation did more than we ever expected in an effort to get my father medical attention. He loaded my father into his truck and took us to a ranger station where Ted was transported to a hospital in Glennwood Springs and then air lifted to Denver General. 

The whole series of events left my father in a fragile state. He recieved facial reconstructive surgery and remained in the hospital for nine days. He has since made a full recovery, but for the past five years has struggled with his teeth - some missing from the bullet that passed through his jaw or broken.  

My father's insurance will not cover the cost of any dental work and, coupled with other various bills from the incident, he cannot afford the dental work out of pocket. He has met with a few dentist who quoted him around 5,000 for everything, I don't expect I can help raise that amount but 3,000 is a great start and will make his dream a reality. My father is a proud man and the best person I know. He's never been a shy person but this was a blow to his self esteem. He is now embarrassed by his own smile and has difficulty eating things most people don't think twice about. He tells me he dreams of the day he can once again bite into an apple or eat a steak - simple foods most of us don't think twice about.

He never asked for any help and has no clue I'm attempting to do this for him. I would like to be able to present this to him as a birthday gift in August this year. I know it will take some convincing for him to even accept something of this magnitude because he doesn't feel as though he deserves anthing from anyone. His whole life he's never put himself first and I feel as though this is the least that can be done. He knows that he is a very lucky man to be alive and for him that is enough but I would like to, with the help of anyone willing, be able to give that little piece of himself back so he can finally feel like himself again.