Pontiac dental practice surprises Indiana man with $10,000 worth of restoration

Published June 16, 2026 7:55 AM EDT

Jeremiah Johnson thought he was coming to Michigan to fish.

After all, the Indiana native is quite the angler. And fortunately for him, he did net a new catch in Crescent Lake. However, his visit to Southeast Michigan was about much more than casting a line.

Afterward, a heartwarming surprise awaited him in the form of $10,000 in free dental work.

Big picture view:

Johnson wore a blindfold as he was walked up to Royal Chiropractic and Dental Center in Pontiac on June 11. Organized by Bassquatch Hunter host Mike McKinstry, he guided Johnson to the surprise — as well as the latest stage of redemption.

Johnson lost his brother at a young age, catalyzing a fall into addiction and eventually incarceration. 

"I lost my twin brother when I was really young, went down some dark roads, became an addict then ended up in and out of jail, in and out of rehabs," he said. "Finally, ended up going to prison, did a few years in prison and came home and met a woman, changed everything, made a family."

But even as he worked to recover and build a new life, he did so with significant dental issues and missing teeth.

Over the next two weeks, he'll receive a full slate of dentistry.

"This was supposed to be a fishing trip, which we did get to fish, but then a huge surprise at the end," he said. "To be able to smile and talk to people without having to worry about how they perceive me."

Mike McKinstry and Jeremiah Johnson outside Royal Chiropractic and Dental Center in Pontiac.

The Source: Interviews done at Royal Chiropractic and Clinic in Pontiac were cited for this story. 

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