LAKELAND — From jumping out of airplanes to looking into the mouths of his patients, Dr. Eric Castor has built a reputation for himself in the Lanier County community as the “dentist with a purple heart of gold.”

Castor is not your typical dentist who followed in the footsteps of a family member or dreamed about pursuing the profession since childhood. Before he picked up a (filling) drill, studied a panoramic X-ray or rescued people’s smiles, the multi-talented dentist was parachuting from airplanes and rescuing the lives of his comrades.

Growing up in New Hampshire with his parents and one sister, Castor said his main interest was wrestling, not dentistry. After graduating from high school in 1993, he didn’t dive right into college. The fearless, young man wanted a challenge. He joined the military and was stationed at Patrick Air Force Base in Florida. He spent two years in “intense” para-rescue training at Kirkland AFB, New Mexico.

“That training was, I believe, the longest, most intense training there is in the Air Force,” Castor said after taking a deep sigh. “It was challenging, but I was glad I did it.”

The rookie didn’t realize how this intense training would pay off until he was involved in the Khobar Towers bombing on June 25, 1996, in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. At the time, Castor was a member of the 41st

Helicopter Unit but on the mission with the 71st Rescue Squadron.

“We were on our way to Kuwait and had engine trouble,” Castor remembered, “so we turned around and went back to Saudi Arabia. That night, some of my buddies and I went to the gym and worked out for about an hour. I remember leaving the gym at around 9:30 p.m. and heading back to my dorm room. I sat down at my desk to get on the computer (my back was against the wall). When I moved the mouse, the time on the computer said 9:52 p.m. and all of a sudden, the computer went flying and there was a loud sound. I initially thought someone had played a practical joke on me — we were known for playing jokes. As things began to fly around the room, I went flying back against the wall, then hurled up into the ceiling, tossed again into the corner of the wall before falling to the floor. ... I was bleeding like crazy from my arm and had glass lodged in my head and back. I stayed as still as I could while objects blew around me. I realized the building had been bombed.”

Castor said he remembered yelling for help then his training kicked in when no one responded.

“Being a paramedic, I knew I had to get up slowly and try not to move my neck (could cause further injury). It was completely dark where I was and all I could think of was getting out of that building. I started to run, bleeding profusely, I knew I had to find a tourniquet, but all I was wearing were a pair of gym shorts. I needed to tie something around my arm so I wouldn’t bleed to death. I immediately stopped running when I felt a sudden blast of air, realizing I was running towards an opening of the building that was once a room with four walls.”

When Castor finally reached the safety of the outdoors, help arrived and escorted him to the hospital where he received the first of two surgeries. After being transported back to Patrick AFB, he received another surgery. To this day, Castor still has glass embedded in the back of his head, nerve loss in his right arm and battle scars that will always remind him of just how close to death he came. Along with many of his surviving comrades, Castor received the Purple Heart.

It has been nearly 15 years since the tragic terrorist attack on Khobar Towers where 19 airmen died in the blast and hundreds of others were wounded. The tanker truck, packed with an estimated 5,000 pounds of plastic explosives, ripped the concrete face off the building housing American troops and leaving behind a crater 35 feet by 85 feet. The attack changed the way the Air Force viewed protection. On June 21, 2001, Attorney General John Ashcroft announced the indictment of 14 people on charges of murder and conspiracy in connection with the attack.

Upon realizing the conversation had become too serious for too long, the witty dentist said, to lighten the mood but meaning no disrespect to the incident, “Being blown up was a blast!”

After leaving Florida, the young para-rescuer came to Valdosta where he enrolled at Valdosta State University as a biology major. His eyes were set on becoming a physician until he went to the dentist office of Dr. Scott Summers and learned more about dentistry. That is also where he met Summers’ employee, Jessica Morgan of Valdosta. The petite young woman captivated Castor immediately. After dating, Castor decided to end his active-duty status in August 1999 and crossed over to the Air National Guard (stationed in New York).

In May 2000, he married Jessica. Castor said he continued his studies at VSU without taking a break between semesters in addition to his military obligations. Joining the guard allowed more time with his new wife, but soon he was soon associated with other servicemen who would leave their names written in history.

Castor said the movies “Perfect Storm” and “Black Hawk Down,” in part, portrayed the heroics of some of his real-life para-rescue buddies from the 102nd Rescue Squadron. The dentist’s face lit up when reminiscing about his fellow airmen.

In September 2001, Castor decided to apply for dental school even though he had not yet received his bachelor’s degree. The determined young man did something not many people actually do — he read the fine print.

“Stated in the fine print of the application were the requirements for dental school,” Castor said. “It clearly said you only have to have 90 credited hours. I had that plus a 3.9 Grade Point Average. I told my wife I was applying, and she said I would not be accepted without my bachelor’s degree. She said if I got accepted, she would get me what I’ve always wanted — a unicycle,” Castor laughed.

Right after applying for dental school, the devastating 911 attack occurred. Castor and a friend went to Ground Zero to assist other servicemen and emergency personnel.

“We had not been activated (given permission) to go down there but I told my buddy there was no way I was going to pass up the opportunity,” he said. “We knew the only way we would be able to get through security was to be in uniform. We suited up and when asked for clearance, we showed our identification badges and said our unit was already inside assisting. It worked, we were given access into Ground Zero. Later, our unit really showed up and asked how we got in before them.”

He talked about the time as if it had just happened. He said in the midst of the devastation, he was able to locate a disposable camera to capture the historical moment. Castor said the only camera he could find was a “Happy Birthday” one.

When the pictures were developed, Castor said the inscription cast a sort of comic relief to a very depressing time.

“We’re standing there with all the sadness and confusion going on behind us and the pictures read, ‘Happy Birthday’ along the bottom with some Spanish writing. I couldn’t cut it off, it definitely adds to the conversation.”

To further add to the conversation within his own household, Castor learned in December 2001 that he had been accepted to dental school, something his wife did not believe possible. The boisterous dentist appeared to take great pleasure in telling this story and rubbing it in that his wife lost the bet and she had to purchase a unicycle for the dental student.

In the spring of 2002, Castor joined Operation North Watch in Turkey. The mission was to fly over a foreign location every day to an operating base in case a plane was shot down by Saddam Hussein’s forces.

In August of the same year, he enrolled in dental school at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. He and his wife relocated to Augusta and shortly after. There, the couple discovered they were expecting their first child (Madeline). After completing dental school, the small family returned to Valdosta. Castor worked for Southwestern State Hospital in Thomasville for six months while preparing to open his practice.

“I first looked in Valdosta and really couldn’t find an affordable building,” he said. “I sought the help of a real estate agent who told me there was an old building once used as a dental clinic in Lakeland, at a reasonable price, that just needed some work done to it. I jumped on it.”

 Throughout the interview, the strawberry-blonde, fitness buff cracked jokes and posed for photographs as if he were posing for GQ Magazine. His humor often broke up the more serious and heart-wrenching details of his military missions. He said he just enjoys life, counts his blessings, and tries to create a comfortable atmosphere for all who must jump on board the dental recliner.

Even with his laid-back personality, the doctor is serious about creating healthy, beautiful smiles in a professional manner. During this entertaining interview, it was still business first. He excused himself, went and extracted teeth, and returned, picking up where he left off, without batting an eyelash.

Castor has been serving the Lakeland community for nearly five years and made it known that his patients are very important to him. Also of importance is his family and memories of his past military career. Lining the walls are several photos of his family, wife, Jessica, daughter, Madeline, 3-year-old son, Louden, and soon-to-be 2-year-old daughter, Layla.

Castor said he has had moments of missing the action of his military career but then looks into the faces of his three young children and beautiful wife and remembers just why he left that career field and chose a more “stable and safer” one.

“My family is very important to me,” he said. “I wanted a career where I could be at home with them and be a part of the children’s lives while they’re still young. My wife is a really good mother, but I’m sure she appreciates the fact that I am home in the evenings and on weekends.”

The dentistry business also allows Eric to exercise in the mornings and still enjoy an evening workout with Jessica at Crossfit Valdosta.

“Don’t tell my wife this, but I am proud of her,” the adoring husband said. “She takes care of our younger two all day and still finds time and energy to work out with me.”

Besides working out, the Castors enjoy spending time as a family at the beach whenever possible. Castor said if he wasn’t dedicating his life to ensure people have healthy teeth, he would be a wrestling coach.

“Wrestling is real big where I’m from,” he said. “My father and I were the first father-son wrestling champions in New Hampshire.”

When not in Lakeland, Castor can be found in Valdosta brightening smiles at the joint practice he shares with Dr. Larry Black.