OLATHE, Kansas — It's a novelty Christmas song from the 1940s, but for one man in Kansas, it really is his Christmas wish.
Last Christmas morning, Evans Kamuru was wrapping presents and used his teeth to cut the tape. "Not the best idea. And as I was doing it, I felt something literally fly out of my mouth. Looking on the carpet was my right upper front tooth," Kamuru told WDAF.
Two days into the new year, his other tooth fell out when he bit into a waffle. Both teeth had crowns on them. He kept a sense of humor about it and made a video of him singing the old novelty song.
Kamuru saw a dentist about dental implants. But they're expensive and it wasn't feasible. "This last half of a year has been really, really tough for us as a family," he said.
TRENDING NOW:
- Doorbell camera alerts homeowner to armed men at front door
- Shocking video shows tsunami crashing into band during Indonesian performance
- Police seek man after wanted suspects allegedly ram cruisers trying to escape
- VIDEO: Jennie-O recalls 164,000 pounds of ground turkey, USDA says
- DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts
His wife, daughters and 5-year-old son, Zeke, who has autism, and Zeke's care and therapy, were the financial priorities. "That comes first and teeth are cosmetic, for the most part," said Kamuru.
Last Saturday, Kamuru's church had a Christmas dinner and talent show. One of the acts was a magic trick and, little did he know, the trick was on him. "At the end of it, they handed me a check for about $14,550," said Kamuru.
That money, meant to cover out of pocket costs for dental implants and Zeke's long-term care, came from Kamuru's friends and family. They started a What's App group and shared his singing video to get donations from more than 300 people. "Just to think that they went out of their way to do this for us is very touching and humbling," said Kamuru.
Gordon Dental of Leawood gave Kamuru a huge discount, making his out of pocket expense after insurance $1,800, a savings of around $6,000. He's thankful for all the generosity and sacrifices from the community for his two front teeth, and for his family. "God cares, even about the little details of our lives that sometimes you don't think about," he said.
Before the surprise donation, Kamuru had given up on the idea of getting his Christmas wish.
CNN/WDAF
