John Spinello may be best known for creating the hit children’s game, Operation. But now the game designer is making headlines because he is in need of his own operation.
The 77-year-old toy designer needs oral surgery that is estimated to cost $25,000, according to the Huffington Post.
Despite the Operation game earning over $40 million since its 1965 debut, Spinello sold the rights to the game for $500.
The game rights were sold to toy designer Marvin Glass, who promised Spinello, then a college student, a job after graduation. The job offer never materialized.
But Spinello is not bitter. He plans to auction the original prototype of the game later this year, and friends have set up a crowdfunding campaign for him.
The Operation game continues to be sold, with special theme versions like the “Simpsons” keeping the game relevant for new generations of children.
