Derek and Benson
"He's given me back the confidence I thought I'd lost forever"
After losing his wife, Angie, Derek’s struggles with hearing loss intensified and he felt himself withdrawing from life.
Now, with hearing dog Benson by his side, Derek has regained the confidence he thought he had lost forever and life is brighter than he ever imagined possible.
Derek’s story in his own words:
I never knew exactly what caused my hearing loss. My father was abusive, and I once heard my mother describe an incident with him that happened when I was very young which might’ve contributed to my hearing difficulties. Whatever the cause, I struggled with my hearing from a young age, and I received my first hearing aid when I was five.
Being the only child at school with a hearing aid, made me an easy target. The bullying was relentless. My hearing aids were broken so many times, I lost count. The teachers weren’t much better. The headmaster was the exception - he was the only person who showed me kindness.
In 1972, mainly because of the abuse I was experiencing at home, I was sent to Bridge House School for deaf boys in Leeds. I never returned home. I was placed with a foster family - the Bensons. They were the first true family I’d ever known, and we’re still in touch today.
After leaving school, I wanted to join the Army, but was told my deafness prevented it. I went into catering instead, and I stayed in the industry until I retired. Kitchens are loud places though, and over the years my hearing deteriorated even further.
Working as a deaf person in the catering industry was rarely simple. In one job, I helped set up a new restaurant and kitchen. Then two weeks after we opened, the manager told me he was letting me go. When I asked why, he replied, “Because you’re deaf.” The other staff were so annoyed, seven of them walked out with me in protest.
I’d known about Hearing Dogs for years. A woman who lived near me fundraised for the charity, and I donated whenever I could. But I never applied for a dog myself because, at the time, I had family who supported me.
Losing my late wife, Angie, in 2018 was one of the hardest blows of my life. She always stuck up for me if anyone complained about me talking too loudly, and after my daughters left home, I relied heavily on her to be my ears. Without her, the house was unbearably quiet. I’m bipolar, and her loss made the dark days darker, and the quiet even heavier.
After she died, I was living alone in a tower block where three separate fires broke out. During the worst one, firefighters banged on my door, but I slept right through it. I later discovered the man in the flat below had been storing petrol inside for his motorbikes!
It was my daughter who encouraged me to apply for a hearing dog. And when I was told I’d been matched with a black Labrador - and that he had the same name as my foster parents - it felt like it was meant to be.
From the moment Benson trotted into my home, he seemed to understand me. I began signing to him, and he picked it up naturally.
Now, when I take out my hearing aids, he becomes my ears. If someone knocks at the door, he nudges me and leads me there. I’d be lost without him. He checks on me constantly and keeps me grounded. He’s given me back the confidence I thought I’d lost forever.
Before Benson, I was withdrawing from life. Now I’ve stepped back into it. He’s very cheeky and loves meeting people and other dogs when we’re out. Having him beside me gives me confidence. Deafness is invisible, but when other people see Benson’s Hearing Dogs jacket, they speak to me more clearly and with more patience.
Taking him back to the Hearing Dogs training centre and meeting his volunteer puppy trainers made me realise just how many hands had guided him to me. Their dedication changed my life.
Thanks to them, people like me regain freedom. And I can promise this: Benson is loved deeply, cared for completely, and the partnership we share has made my life brighter than I ever imagined possible.
