When my family faced a devastating house fire that changed everything, we knew we had to rebuild from the ground up. During this “life quake,” I realized my mom had been struggling with her hearing for years – but none of us understood just how much.

As her daughter, I’d watched her withdraw from conversations, answer questions that weren’t asked, and ask us to repeat ourselves until we’d finally say “never mind.” What I didn’t realize was how isolated and lonely this made her feel.

When I reached out to my sorority sister Lindsey and her team at Audiology Always, I knew Mom would be in expert hands. But what happened next exceeded every expectation.

The phone call on Mom’s drive home after getting her first hearing aids will stay with me forever:

“This is unbelievable! She tore a piece of paper in front of me and honey, I could hear it! Oh my goodness, have you ever noticed how loud the turn signal is? I could actually hear your sister call my name from downstairs!”

Before getting her hearing aids, Mom often felt frustrated when we had to repeat ourselves, and embarrassed when she’d unknowingly respond to the wrong question during group conversations. She became increasingly isolated, left out of family discussions, and felt like she was missing out on the life happening around her. But now, a year later, everything has changed.

She’s fully engaged in every conversation, the loneliness has lifted, and she hears everything happening around her with clarity.

She feels confident in group settings and can’t imagine getting dressed in the morning without her hearing aids.

This wasn’t just about hearing — it was about connection, confidence, and quality of life. Lindsey and her entire team didn’t just give my mom her hearing back; they gave our whole family the gift of having her fully present with us again.

Life is short, and we take our senses for granted. When my time comes, there’s only one place I’ll trust with something this important.