Help Kyle Get His Smile—and His Life—Back

My name is Betty Dunbar, and for the past fifteen years, I have called Santa Barbara home. My son, Kyle, has lived with me since 2019, and in that time, I have watched him fight battles that were never his choice but were forced upon him by a system that failed him at every turn. No one should endure these kinds of immense struggles.

Kyle’s story is one of resilience and survival, but it is also one of deep injustice. At just thirteen years old, a doctor prescribed him Xanax and amphetamines—powerful drugs that were meant to help but instead became a devastating trap. What should have been medical care quickly spiraled into addiction, stealing his stability and sense of self, nearly costing him his life.

In July 2019, Kyle’s body finally gave out; he was hospitalized with severe pneumonia. During his stay, doctors discovered a previously undiagnosed hereditary heart condition—mitral valve prolapse (MVP). His only option was open-heart surgery, leading to an intense two-month hospital stay. As I watched my son fight for his life, I realized something that took many years to understand: addiction is not a moral failing—it is a disease. And yet, even with all the medical knowledge we have today, society continues to treat it as a crime.

Beyond this personal toll, Kyle has also endured the cruelty of a system that criminalizes addiction rather than treating it. His encounters with law enforcement have been marked by punishment rather than care, with arrests and incarcerations that failed to address the underlying medical condition. Nearly every charge against him was related to possession, yet he was repeatedly cycled through jails instead of given the medical treatment he so desperately needed.

As part of Kyle’s recovery program, he was required to take Suboxone, a medication prescribed for opioid addiction. What we didn’t know—what no one warned us about—was that Suboxone had a devastating side effect. The drug caused severe, irreversible tooth decay, a fact that the manufacturer, Indivior, Inc., knew but failed to properly disclose. A class-action lawsuit was filed in 2022, exposing the company’s negligence, but for Kyle, the damage had already been done. Every single tooth was destroyed, and worse, his claim for injuries was denied due to a 3rd-party insurance clause.

Last week, Kyle underwent full dental extraction surgery, a necessary and essential step toward restoring his health. But now he faces the next uphill battle: the long and costly process of getting full dental implants will be $105,000, a staggering sum for anyone, let alone someone trying to rebuild their life.

Kyle has not given up! Since September 2024, he has been clean. He attends weekly counseling with the Mental Wellness Center, and for the first time in years, he has hope for a better life. He is healing with his best friend at his side—his blind and deaf albino dog, who is wagging his tail in quiet support. Kyle dreams of using his experience to help others, becoming a peer mentor for those struggling with addiction. He also hopes to rebuild his jewelry business and, one day, write a book about his journey—a raw, honest story of resilience and survival.

We are asking for your support to help Kyle take this next step toward reclaiming his life. Every donation, no matter the size, brings him closer to eating solid food again, speaking with confidence, and smiling without pain. He has fought so hard to be here today, and with your help, he can finally move forward—stronger, healthier, and ready to give back.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your kindness and generosity.

With gratitude,

Betty Dunbar