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Mass. Dental Society Member Comes to Aid of WWII Veteran in Need
Quincy Dentist Helps Purple Heart Recipient in Need of New Dentures
It all started with a tweet. Retired U.S. Army Sergeant and Iraq War Veteran Kurt Power took to Twitter earlier this year on behalf of 94-year-old World War II veteran and fellow Purple Heart recipient Bill Varroso of Braintree, who had lost his dentures. Replacing the dentures would cost more than $2,000 and would not be covered by Varroso’s Veterans Administration health benefits, Mr. Power shared, so did anyone know of a dentist who could help this hero?
Mr. Varroso is a survivor of the Japanese attack that sank the U.S.S. Underhill in the Pacific Ocean in 1945. At just 19 years old, he did all he could to help rescue as many shipmates as possible. Of the 236 men on board, 122 survived.
Following conversations with the MDS and Dr. Joseph Calabrese, director of geriatric dental medicine at the Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Mr. Varroso was connected with Dr. Abdul Abdulwaheed, who generously offered to replace the dentures in his Quincy office at no cost.
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To Dr. Abdulwaheed, helping Mr. Varroso was a no brainer. “My grandfather served in World War II as an ophthalmologic surgeon for the Flying Tigers,” said Dr. Abdulwaheed, who is also Trustee of the South Shore District Dental Society. “In my training, and in daily practice, I have encountered numerous veterans. I have heard their stories and experienced their sacrifice. It was natural for me to have felt an obligation to serve as they have. I wanted to do my small part for Mr. Varroso.”
The opportunity to treat Mr. Varroso left a lasting impression on Dr. Abdulwaheed.
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“Mr. Varroso is a charming and worldly soul. Our sessions were fun. We never failed to make one another laugh,” said Dr. Abdulwaheed. “It wasn’t until the day of prosthetic delivery that he shared his service stories with me. He started off with a slightly slurred speech, yet, quickly recovered.
“I was appreciative for the opportunity to serve him,” he continued. “No one could imagine such a lively young soul without his smile. Fate brought us together, and it enriched us deeply.”