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Submitted by Dana Luzon, Au.D. CC-A, FAAA
Written by Abbye Callender, Au.D.
Seattle Seahawk fullback, Derrick Coleman, has been recognized throughout the nation for something truly inspiring. Despite the odds, he has worked very hard to live the life that he always dreamed of! You see, Derrick Coleman is the first known NFL player to be considered legally deaf. His inspirational Duracell commercial on his turbulent yet beautiful journey to the 2014 Super Bowl has been viewed more than 22 million times on YouTube.
And then, the day before last year’s big game, Derrick Coleman volunteered at a service mission sponsored by the Starkey Hearing Foundation at Yankee Stadium. The Seattle Seahawks player was one of many other celebrity volunteers dedicated to helping those in need. During the two-day mission, more than 100 people received free hearing aids!
Yes, Seattle won 43-8. That’s quite an accomplishment! And let’s not forget Seattle’s much heralded 12th Man! Seattle’s home games have been measured to get up to 136 dB of volume. That’s some LOUD and proud support! So… if you happen to go to a Seahawk (or other NFL team) game, you may just want to bring along some earplugs – you’ll be glad that you did.
Thank goodness for people like Derrick Coleman. Because of his ability to tell his story, we as a society can become more educated on hearing loss and its effects. There needs to be better appreciation of the unique sets of challenges that hearing-impaired people face every single day. If you have hearing loss, don’t let it stand in the way of your dreams. Hearing loss shouldn’t hinder anyone from living the life that they want to live. Just ask Derrick Coleman.
He Inspires
Since his commercial aired, the awareness of hearing loss has spread like wildfire! In fact, upon hearing his story, two courageous young girls with hearing loss came forward to write a letter to Derrick Coleman. True to form, he responded, thanking them for their bravery and support! Their heartfelt letter sparked even more nationwide media attention. Days before last year’s big game, the hearing instrument organization, Oticon, invited these girls to pre-game media events. The girls even supported their team wearing their blue-and-green hearing aids!
Audiology & Hearing Aids of the Palm Beaches, Inc.
4266 Northlake Blvd
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
561.536.5557
www.hearingcarefl.com
Dana Luzon, Au.D., CCC-A
Doctor of Audiology
Originally from Southern NJ, Dana Luzon received her undergraduate degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology from the Richard Stockton College of NJ, and continued on to receive her Doctorate of Audiology at Salus University’s residential program. Her varied clinical experiences throughout her doctoral studies include: VA hospitals, rehabilitation clinics, ENT and private practice settings. Her professional interests include: audiologic rehabilitation and progressive tinnitus devices. Her interests in the field outside of the clinic include: Humanitarian Audiology, and Audiology Awareness. Dr. Luzon currently lives in West Palm Beach, FL.
