Emotional moment partially-deaf man, 36, turns on his hearing aid for the first time

This is the emotional moment a partially-deaf man turned on his hearing aid for the first time, telling loved ones he did not realise what he was ‘missing all of this time’.

David Tester, 36, had struggled with his hearing for two years before going to get tested only to discover he had the hearing of a 60-year-old. 

At the time, however, the audiologist suggested that his hearing wasn’t poor enough to take any action and he should just keep monitoring it. A year later, David’s family noticed his hearing had worsened and his doctors agreed.  

Footage shows the moment Mr Tester had his hearing aid turned on for the first time in his audiologists office, with tears welling in his eyes as he’s overcome with emotion. 

Mr Tester, a head of marketing firm from Hackney, London, said: ‘I tried the hearing aid on for size in the office. The audiologist put on loud restaurant noises so we could simulate the environment.

An emotional clip showed the moment his hearing aid was finally installed and he became overwhelmed with what he could now hear 

‘When she turned the hearing aid on, I could suddenly hear her through the busy noise that was playing. That’s when I ended up getting emotional because I actually realised what I had been missing all this time.’

Mr Tester began noticing loss in his hearing in 2022 and found it difficult hearing people sat directly next to him whilst in loud busy spaces.

It is unknown what caused his hearing loss but Mr Tester believes  it is due to nights spent directly next to club speakers.

Mr Tester added: ‘I’ve spent a decent amount of time in nightclubs so I assume that the speakers from those nights will have done some damage.

‘All I really know is that the audiologist said the hearing in my left ear specifically had deteriorated, so that’s where I’m getting the hearing aid.’

Speaking of his gradual loss of hearing he added: ‘It was a gradual change so I didn’t notice how much it had altered my experiences.

It is unknown what caused his hearing loss but Mr Tester believes it is due to nights spent directly next to club speakers. Pictured: Mr Tester smiling after his hearing aid is installed 

‘I spend a lot of time in busy surroundings like restaurants and bars and I remember feeling like I was asking people to repeat themselves a lot. I could tell something was off but I didn’t know how much I was missing.’

Mr Tester is not yet living with his hearing aid as he ordered it on July 25 and is still awaiting its arrival.

He said: ‘I’m really looking forward to being able to use it in my daily life. It’s a big step to take considering it’s £,1800 as the NHS range wasn’t appropriate for the type of situations I’ll need the aid in. But I’ve ordered it now and it’ll be here in just over a week.’