Help for hard of hearing Santa by Sugata Bhattacharjee

Help for hard of hearing Santa
Gets custom hearing aides from donors
Updated: Wednesday, 22 Dec 2010, 8:03 PM EST
Published : Wednesday, 22 Dec 2010, 7:14 PM EST

By: Kristen Cusato
Milford, Conn (WTNH) - Every year, Santa Claus comes to the Westfield Connecticut Post mall to hear just what the children want for Christmas, but that's been a bit difficult for this Santa in recent years.

"A lot of times I have to ask them what they said, get them to repeat it, sometimes several times," Santa said.

Santa, who's alter ego is "Donald Mills", has been coming to Connecticut from the north pole ("South Carolina") for the last eleven Christmas seasons.

One cold December day, Santa met an elf, who was also an audiologist from Southern New England Ear, Nose, and Throat, and a Christmas miracle began to take shape.

"When we see Santa who is listening to little kids high frequency voice and he can't hear, he might get the wrong present for them," Doctor K.J. Lee said.

Santa was only able to hear about half the words people said to him. He needed very expensive hearing aides, and he got them for free from the Starkey Hearing Foundation, which donates hearing aides to those who can't afford them.

"It's the season of giving, and there's nothing more precious than giving the gift of hearing to Santa Claus," Doctor Sugata from Southern New England Ear, Nose, and Throat said.

A present for Santa, in the form of $6,000 custom hearing aides.

"It's amazing to hear things I haven't in a long time," said Santa.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Santa
• gets
• free
• hearing
• aids
• from
• the
• Starkey
• Hearing
• Foundation