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Coalville man hears for the holidays

Gina Barker, The Park Record

The Park City Post Office might sound a little different to employee Arnold Bosworth. Maybe it’s because of the holiday rush to send out cards and gifts. Or maybe it’s the state-of-the-art hearing aids Dr. Leanne Norman of Utah Audiology & Hearing gifted him for a Hear for the Holidays contest she held this December.

Bosworth, who suffers from work-related hearing loss, won the contest when his wife secretly submitted an essay on his behalf telling Norman why her husband deserved the hearing aids.

For two pages in a hand written letter Melanie Bosworth covered the facts. More than 25 years ago when she and her husband were just starting their family as newlyweds, they paid for hearing aids that were good for the time but he could hardly stand wearing because of how they picked up sound.

"I watched him standing back from crowded situations as he was unable to hear or understand what was happening," she wrote.

She remembered when she first told her husband what he had won, he was convinced it was a gimmick of some kind and that it was going to lead to more junk mail.

"When I finally explained the deal to him, that’s when he stopped and just asked, ‘You really did that for me,’" Melanie said.

The contest ended on a Friday, and by Monday Norman was calling Melanie to tell let her know her husband was selected. Choosing the Bosworths just felt right Norman said.

"It was so hard to pick just one," Norman said. "There are so many people in need out there, but I know we made the right choice. He has given so much to his community and he’s already seen so much benefit after having these for just two weeks. I have no doubt that Arnie was the right person for this."

Norman said she hadn’t expected to fall in love with the family who won.

"I knew he was coming in with a history of noise exposure but I didn’t’ realize how significant the hearing loss was," Norman said. "Once he was fit with the hearing aids, the wife went all the way down the hall to the reception area and called his name."

He could hear her voice, and that’s when Melanie began to cry.

For years, Bosworth had to use his wife almost as a translator. It became such a habit that on a recent date out to a restaurant, his wife began to tell Bosworth what the waiter was saying. He had to stop and remind her, ‘I can hear.’

Norman said she chose Bosworth because of all the volunteer work he and his wife do each year.

"I remember always saying, ‘Honey, I can hear your voice, but I can’t hear what you’re saying,’" Bosworth said. "Now, I hear her."

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