Fresno man who helped raise his siblings surprised with free braces

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- When Juan Figueroa walked into Thurman Orthodontics Wednesday morning, he thought he was getting a checkup. He was surprised with much more.

"I saw everybody here and was like oh my God, what if I won," he said.

He did win. He received free braces courtesy of the firm. They are paying for the entire procedure, from start to finish. It is part of a contest they put on to give back to the community. People were asked to write in about a deserving person. After about three months and 200 candidates, Figueroa was the lucky winner.

"I'm very grateful that they have this opportunity to give to other people," he said. "Not many people do this."

His sister wrote in about how he made a huge impact in her life. Doctor Brian Thurman owner of Thurman Orthodontics said it spoke to him and his staff.

"Juan's sister's story was so touching because he helped raise a few other siblings including his sister while his mother was working away," said Thurman.

For Figueroa, this means being able to put his smile first. A tight income kept delaying the procedure.

"It is something very amazing because without it I would have to maybe get them in a few more years because I'm the only one that works in my household," said Figueroa.

Thurman Orthodontics offered all other candidates special offers. They plan on having another contest in the future.