Under the Knife: A Beautiful Woman, a Phony Doctor, and a Shocking Homicide by Diane Fanning Page B
Authors: Diane Fanning
Tags: Fiction, General, Medical, True Crime, Murder, Case studies, new jersey, Surgery; Plastic - Corrupt Practices - New Jersey - Newark, Plastic & Cosmetic, Murder - New Jersey - Newark, Corrupt Practices, Newark, Surgery; Plastic, Surgery
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again unless Jason performed it. As self-conscious as Jason was about his appearance, he could not say no. He stood before the audience and gave a stellar rendition. Those who knew him were stunned by his incredible strength and determination to carry on in the face of his monumental struggle.
In the spring of 2002, Jason participated in the 16 th Annual Easter Bonnet Competition. A six-week fundraiser for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, designers for Broadway, off-Broadway and touring companies created elaborate bonnets, and the casts created and performed an entertaining presentation.
Rosie O’Donnell opened the show with 98-year-old showgirl Doris Eaton Travis. When she returned at the end of the show, Jason handed her a large bouquet of flowersand said, “You have been our cheerleader. You’ve been our spokeswoman. Thank you, Rosie.”
Jason returned to the cast of
The Full Monty
, performing in the rigorous eight-times-a-week schedule. He took oral chemotherapy drugs at the same time, keeping the show going until the final curtain on September 1, 2002.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
DEAN’S LIFE PATH AFTER JASON WAS NOT AS TRAGIC, BUT IT was definitely more dismal. He went to work fewer days than he stayed home, stewing in a blue funk. The more he blew off work, the worse he shattered any hope of attaining financial equilibrium. In 2001, the mortgage payments on his home in Newark were seriously in arrears again. Foreclosure loomed. Dean needed a large infusion of cash to get back on track.
Meanwhile, Greg wanted some assurance of reimbursement before shelling out more of his money. He proposed that they rent out the third floor of the house, the tenants paying Greg directly to reduce the amount Dean owed him. Dean agreed. The upstairs was rented out to a young married couple, and Greg loaned Dean another $7,000.
The new loan could have been a sore point for Dean and Greg. After all, Greg did want to be paid back eventually and Dean still frittered away his own money on drugs. Nonetheless, Dean continued to pay $600 each month toward his debt to Greg and the couple got along well.
To help scrape money together, Dean rented one of the four bedrooms on the second floor to a medical student who was more often at school, the hospital or the librarythan he was at home. Dean and Greg barely noticed his presence.
In fact, Dean depended on Greg. He spent work nights in Greg’s apartment and relied on Greg to wake him up and get him off to work. If Greg was not there in the morning to do that, Dean slept through appointments and drove his receptionist to distraction, rescheduling and making excuses.
When Greg planned his annual escape to the family home on the lake that summer, the receptionist pleaded with him not to go. Greg had close ties to his family and this annual reunion mattered to him a great deal. So in an attempt to keep Dean as sober as possible during Greg’s absence, Debra stepped in to watch over him. Dean spent his weekends at her home in Milford, New Jersey, and she called Greg’s apartment on workday mornings to get Dean out of bed. Greg and Debra jokingly referred to this arrangement as Dean’s baby-sitting service.
Dean was still in casual contact with Jason Opsahl in the fall of 2001. Jason told Dean that he was moving from his studio apartment in the high-rise building at 449 West 44 th Street to more luxurious digs in a new complex on River Place. Dean knew that residential buildings in New York were required to provide some low-rent housing units. He busied himself with the paperwork needed to qualify and acquire Jason’s old apartment at a discounted rate. He won eligibility, moving in for only $1,550 per month. It was a remarkably low amount for its location and the quality of the unit, but still it was an expense that Dean could ill afford. Sure, it was nicer and roomier than Greg’s crowded place—but he could stay with Greg for free.
Moving into the West 44 th Street apartment created
In the spring of 2002, Jason participated in the 16 th Annual Easter Bonnet Competition. A six-week fundraiser for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, designers for Broadway, off-Broadway and touring companies created elaborate bonnets, and the casts created and performed an entertaining presentation.
Rosie O’Donnell opened the show with 98-year-old showgirl Doris Eaton Travis. When she returned at the end of the show, Jason handed her a large bouquet of flowersand said, “You have been our cheerleader. You’ve been our spokeswoman. Thank you, Rosie.”
Jason returned to the cast of
The Full Monty
, performing in the rigorous eight-times-a-week schedule. He took oral chemotherapy drugs at the same time, keeping the show going until the final curtain on September 1, 2002.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
DEAN’S LIFE PATH AFTER JASON WAS NOT AS TRAGIC, BUT IT was definitely more dismal. He went to work fewer days than he stayed home, stewing in a blue funk. The more he blew off work, the worse he shattered any hope of attaining financial equilibrium. In 2001, the mortgage payments on his home in Newark were seriously in arrears again. Foreclosure loomed. Dean needed a large infusion of cash to get back on track.
Meanwhile, Greg wanted some assurance of reimbursement before shelling out more of his money. He proposed that they rent out the third floor of the house, the tenants paying Greg directly to reduce the amount Dean owed him. Dean agreed. The upstairs was rented out to a young married couple, and Greg loaned Dean another $7,000.
The new loan could have been a sore point for Dean and Greg. After all, Greg did want to be paid back eventually and Dean still frittered away his own money on drugs. Nonetheless, Dean continued to pay $600 each month toward his debt to Greg and the couple got along well.
To help scrape money together, Dean rented one of the four bedrooms on the second floor to a medical student who was more often at school, the hospital or the librarythan he was at home. Dean and Greg barely noticed his presence.
In fact, Dean depended on Greg. He spent work nights in Greg’s apartment and relied on Greg to wake him up and get him off to work. If Greg was not there in the morning to do that, Dean slept through appointments and drove his receptionist to distraction, rescheduling and making excuses.
When Greg planned his annual escape to the family home on the lake that summer, the receptionist pleaded with him not to go. Greg had close ties to his family and this annual reunion mattered to him a great deal. So in an attempt to keep Dean as sober as possible during Greg’s absence, Debra stepped in to watch over him. Dean spent his weekends at her home in Milford, New Jersey, and she called Greg’s apartment on workday mornings to get Dean out of bed. Greg and Debra jokingly referred to this arrangement as Dean’s baby-sitting service.
Dean was still in casual contact with Jason Opsahl in the fall of 2001. Jason told Dean that he was moving from his studio apartment in the high-rise building at 449 West 44 th Street to more luxurious digs in a new complex on River Place. Dean knew that residential buildings in New York were required to provide some low-rent housing units. He busied himself with the paperwork needed to qualify and acquire Jason’s old apartment at a discounted rate. He won eligibility, moving in for only $1,550 per month. It was a remarkably low amount for its location and the quality of the unit, but still it was an expense that Dean could ill afford. Sure, it was nicer and roomier than Greg’s crowded place—but he could stay with Greg for free.
Moving into the West 44 th Street apartment created
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