To celebrate the holiday season, HearingLife created the Magic of Giving Back program. We accepted submissions from people who needed hearing aids but couldn’t afford them and selected people to receive free hearing aids. We received more than 100 submissions from all over the country from people nominating themselves or loved ones. This is the story of Mikel, one of the recipients of the 2022 Magic of Giving Back program.

Mikel learned about the Magic of Giving program right after being laid off from his job of 32 years.

“Since I’ll be looking for a new job, it would make that better – to hear what they are asking me in an interview,” said Mikel. “It would be nice to hear my grandkids too.”

Mikel was fitted for new hearing aids by Dr. Erin Davlin-Jend, our audiologist at HearingLife in Parker, Colorado.

“Mikel was a very deserving patient of free hearing devices through this program,” she said. “He fell on hard times recently and is actively looking for a new job. After being fit with More 1 miniRITE R aids, he said he felt much more confident in his hearing capabilities,” said Dr. Davlin-Jend.

After wearing his new hearing aids for a few weeks, Mikel says everything has changed.

“My kids say I don't talk as loud. I feed birds in the neighborhood. I've now come to find out just how loud blue jays really are. I can hear things I didn't know I couldn't hear. It's changed everything out there,” he said.

Mikel also says he feels more included in conversations with others and that he especially enjoyed attending a wedding with his hearing aids, “I could hear the vows they were exchanging, that was so great,” he said, smiling.

Mikel says his advice to anyone who thinks they’re having trouble hearing is – they probably are! “Get your hearing checked,” he says. “And get something to help. These [hearing aids] are the best.”

If you’re ready to start your journey to better hearing, schedule a complimentary hearing assessment at HearingLife today.