Perryville father of 4 able to hear his family fully for the first time
Perryville husband and father of four
By Shoshana Stahl
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PERRYVILLE, Missouri (KMOV) — Thursday offered a fresh start for a Perryville husband and father of four as he’s finally able to hear his family fully for the first time.
Dylan Dauster was born completely deaf in his left ear and also has some hearing loss in his right ear.
“Probably missed out on a good half of the conversations I could’ve been having with them because I didn’t hear them,” Dauster says.
Dauster says he tried hearing aids once when he was younger but it didn’t last long, once kids started making fun of him at school.
“Kids can be difficult,” Dauster says. “I kind of threw them down and never put another pair on.”
However, his wife, Katelyn Dauster, says it became more and more difficult for him to go through life unable to hear.
“I have to either touch him or put my hand in front of his face to get his attention or do it myself because you couldn’t get his attention,” Katelyn says.
It’s something that Dauster says has impacted him as a father and husband.
“My daughter thought I was ignoring her,” Dauster says. “She would be sitting just as close as my wife, talking about her day and I didn’t hear any of it. She’d start crying because she thought daddy’s ignoring me he doesn’t even want to talk to me. I’m like, no honey, I didn’t hear you. That’s the problem.”
That’s when he finally decided to call Miracle-Ear and get fitted for two hearing aids.
Hearing instrument specialist Katie Rhives says this is something that impacts the entire family.
“To hear the normal things that most people just take for granted every day,” Rhives says.
When Dauster called Miracle Ear, he didn’t know that the hearing aids would be completely free of charge.
“It’s unbelievable,” Dauster says. “This is life-changing for me. I’ll be able to hear and I’m not having to stress about financial aid or money.”
Dauster wants people to know if they’re going through this too, it’s never too late to get help.
“I can understand the fear of relating to, okay, I was made fun of back then or people make fun of me because I look a little different because I have hearing aids but honestly, when you get to as an older individual, you need to start taking care of yourself,” Dauster says. “That’s all that really matters. You, yourself and your kids.”
Rhives is encouraging people to have their hearing checked every year to monitor if there are any changes.
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