LOVELAND — Simple sounds and the generosity of a caring community bring tears of gratitude and joy to the eyes of a 13-year-old Loveland girl.
Daniela Hernandez loves shopping, hanging out with her sisters and friends, and music, especially hip-hop and Spanish tunes, she says.
The Bill Reed Middle School student has an intrinsic appreciation for sound: She received a cochlear implant in November 2000 when she was 5 years old. Without it, she would be completely deaf.
“I’m so happy to be able to listen to music and listen to people,” Daniela said, fighting tears, during an interview at her family’s home.
Daniela has worked hard since her surgery, taking audiology and speech pathology classes. She speaks three languages: English, Spanish and sign language.
She gets mostly A’s and B’s in school and hopes to be a preschool teacher when she grows up.
“I like school, but sometimes it’s like too much drama,” she said with a laugh.
A budding athlete, Daniela enjoys playing volleyball and basketball, but so far she lacks the confidence to try out for competitive school teams.
“I’m too embarrassed to play in public,” she confessed.
This week, Daniela said, she’s off to the Aspen Camp of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing where she’ll assist a camp counselor overseeing first- to fourth-graders.
Daniela lost her hearing when she had meningitis as a 16-month-old.
Back in 2000 the little girl was running out of time — bone growth had ruled out the possibility of an implant in her right ear, and the operation on her left ear faced a tight deadline.
The surgery cost $55,000, and the Hernandez family was uninsured and of limited means. Santiago, her father, was, and still is, a cement finish worker. Her mother, Elizabeth, works part time and is a homemaker.
Daniela was aided by the Fort Collins Lions Club and other contributors, locally and from around the world, who heard about Daniela through media accounts.
During the fundraising, donations came from as far away as Australia. Others sent contributions from small towns in Colorado, Kansas and Wyoming, including a 4-year-old boy who sent his lucky penny, and a family who cashed in a change jar.
The surgery, performed at the University of Colorado Hospital, was successful.
“I think the cochlear implant has worked wonders with Daniela,” said William Lentz, a Fort Collins doctor and Lions Club member who backed Daniela’s cause. “A lot of it is due to the fact that her parents dedicated themselves fully to her diction and speech development.”
Lentz, who has tracked Daniela’s progress, said she initially struggled with speech, but has made great gains through dedication and determination.
“The family has to be totally committed to a very long process,” Lentz said. “Without that, chances of it working well are very limited.”
Daniela and her family say they’re forever grateful to all who helped Daniela along the way.
“I want to thank every single person who helped her through her surgery,” Santiago Hernandez said, hugging his daughter as they sat side by side on the living room couch. “Everyone!”
Kieran Nicholson: 303-954-1822 or knicholson@denverpost.com
