TL;DR: Taylor who has been deaf since birth, has not had the means to purchase a percutaneous hearing aid for about a decade. Without it, daily communication is incredibly difficult causing social, emotional and professional challenges. He cannot afford the thousands needed for a BAHA hearing aid. This fundraiser aims to help him regain connection, safety, and dignity through restored hearing. Any support or shares truly make a life-changing difference.

Full Story

Taylor, my good friend, catering colleague and roommate, is a fiercely loyal, kind, and genuine person. He was born without eardrums and has been deaf in both ears his entire life. Although he underwent surgery as a child to receive a BAHA hearing device, since being estranged from his family at 21, he has not had strong enough health insurance or income to purchase the device. For the past ten years he’s relied on an outdated, makeshift device that frequently died or made a high-pitched screech and barely supported his ability to hear.

A few months ago, that fragile device was lost during his bus ride home from work. Without a hearing aid, everyday life becomes a challenge most of us can hardly imagine. Taylor is left to rely solely on lip reading and facial cues, making conversations at home and at work exhausting and incomplete. It isolates him, makes communication difficult, and puts him in an extremely vulnerable position socially, emotionally, and professionally.

I met Taylor through his partner Casiana, and in living with him I’ve seen firsthand how hard he works, how much he gives, and how deeply he deserves the opportunity to simply participate in the world around him. But due to the combination of his disability and the nature of his employment, saving the thousands of dollars required for a new BAHA hearing aid is simply impossible without support.

I’m starting this fundraiser because no one should be cut off from the world for lack of medical coverage. Taylor deserves to hear again. He deserves connection, safety, dignity, and the ability to fully engage with the people he loves.

If you’re able to give, or even just to share, your support will make a life-changing difference.

Thank you, truly, for reading and for helping Taylor take this step toward hearing again.

Learn More

How a BAHA hearing aid works

Additional Avenues

Alongside this fundraiser, we are also seeking support through the following avenues:

Because a BAHA device can cost around $15,000, this fundraiser will help cover the expenses that are not funded by any of these programs. It will also fund application fees, an official audiometry exam required to apply to many grant programs, as well as the cost of an appointment to get the BAHA device programmed by and specialist once purchased.