"I’m 53 years old and I think maybe now they’re [family and friends] finally starting to realize that I’m deaf. [Laughing] It was a big adjustment for them."
Born in 1954, Wendie Haglund lived in Worcester her whole life. Growing up she had chronic ear infections and cholesteatomas. However, her life changed forever when she was 32 and she became deaf. She was diagnosed with tumors behind her brain and she lost her hearing overnight. Wendie faces many difficulties because people often mistake her for being hearing because of how well she speaks. She fits into neither the hearing nor the deaf world, and it’s something that she will deal with for the rest of her life. However, Wendie is an amazing woman who remains positive and continues to give back to her community through volunteer work.