It's a problem many aging adults deal with -- but it's often too expensive to fix. Hearing loss can create both a serious financial burden, and personal one as well.
However, one Tucson couple that has been married for 40 years, is getting the chance to hear again -- for free. Thanks to the Miracle-Ear Foundation, Preston and Beverly Hallman received free hearing aids on Thursday.
"It's totally amazing," Beverly Hallman said. "I didn't know what I was missing!"
The couple has struggled with hearing loss for more than a decade. Beverly started to lose her ability to hear as she got older, Preston worked in mines and lost it over time.
One thing Beverly did know she was missing: Preston's voice.
"Whenever he's in the same room as me, standing side by side, if he doesn't face me, I can't hear his voice," she said.
Preston, eager to be able to communicate clearly with his wife, is also excited to hear sounds in nature -- specifically, birds.
"There's nothing, no prettier sound than the birds, you know," he said. "We've got all kinds of birds in Oracle, pretty clean up there, and it's nice to be able to hear them."
Something the couple agrees will change their lives -- the ability to have normal conversations again. Not just with each other, but with their 14 grandchildren and family members as well.
Beverly's first request for her husband? Taking her on a date to a restaurant.
"What I would like to hear is, honey, would you like to go out and eat dinner tonight?" she asked.
"Well honey," Preston said. "What? I love you, and I'll take you out to supper tonight."
"Where?" Beverly asks.
Laughing, she adds, "I don't want a hamburger!"
If you think you or somebody you know is eligible for Miracle-Ear's "Gift of Sound," you can follow this link to find out.
