MEET SETH MCCALL
Seth’s journey began with a simple checkup that quickly changed the course of his life. Born prematurely, his family was preparing for the long-awaited moment to bring him home, when he failed his newborn hearing screening. It was soon discovered that Seth was profoundly deaf, and by eight months, he had received bilateral cochlear implants.
Seth’s early years were a blur of therapy and audiology visits. “There were more appointments than I ever thought possible,” recalls his mom, Hear Indiana’s own CEO, Ellyn. “At times, it felt so overwhelming…and then we found Hear Indiana.”
Having everything Seth needed in one place was life-changing. Along with the expert care team made up of audiologists, therapists and teachers, it was Hear Indiana’s compassionate community that made all the difference.
As Seth grew, so did his confidence. “My cochlear implants were just the start,” he said. “My team has helped me through almost everything. Without my family and my therapist and audiologist, I wouldn’t be where I am now.”
Today, Seth is in his senior year of high school and just committed to play lacrosse at Heidelberg University. He’s an honor student who plays the saxophone and piano. He’s served on student council, the Hands and Voices Junior Board, and he’s an advocate for others with hearing loss. He’s also an athlete, with a love for lacrosse, and a friend who takes time to connect with and mentor younger kids walking the same path he does. Along the way, he learned that hearing loss does not define him, it’s simply one part of the extraordinary person he has become.
This past summer, Seth graduated from Hear Indiana’s Listening and Spoken Language Camp—a place that, for ten years, provided a sense of belonging, confidence, and joy. He was given a compass inscribed with the quote: “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams and live the life you have imagined.” That compass symbolizes not only Seth’s journey, but the journey of every child who walks through Hear Indiana’s doors. It’s a reminder that, with the right support, each one can find their own direction and thrive.
