"I can hear everybody in here."
Those were the first words Modesa James spoke when her new hearing aids were turned on — and she meant every single one of them.
For the first time in decades, the 55-year-old could hear clearly. Not muffled sounds. Not struggling to read lips. Not asking people to repeat themselves. Just... hearing.
She cried. Everyone around her was choked up.
On Friday, December 12, 2025, more than 30 Philadelphia residents gathered at Face to Face in Philadelphia's Germantown neighborhood for a community event offering free hearing tests and hearing aids. For many, it was the first time they'd been able to afford hearing healthcare in years—or ever.
CBS 3 Philadelphia covered the event, capturing the profound moments when sound returned to people's lives.
This is Modesa and Winifred's story.
Modesa James has lived with significant hearing loss for most of her adult life, but she has been unable to afford the typical $2000 - $6000 cost of prescription hearing aids.
After her new devices were turned on, CBS health reporter Stephanie Stahl asked her, "Is this the first time you've been able to hear like this?"
"Yes. I hear. Yes."
The emotion on her face said everything her words couldn't quite express. Overwhelming. Disbelief. Joy.
"What is this like for you?" Stahl asked.
Modesa paused, taking in the sounds around her—the voices, the movement, the life she'd been missing.
"It's very overwhelming," she said, tears streaming down her face.
Later, when asked what she was most looking forward to, her answer was simple but profound: talking to her family. Watching TV. The everyday moments most of us take for granted.
"It's marvelous," she said. "I'm so happy."
If Modesa's reaction was tears, Winifred Jones' was pure joy.
At 94 years old—"feisty" as the CBS reporter described her—Winifred had been struggling with her hearing for years. When her new hearing aids were activated for the first time, her response was immediate.
"I can hear. Oh, I can't believe this. I can really hear."
"What's it feel like to be able to hear like this?" Stahl asked.
Without missing a beat, Winifred declared: "Well, I can't wait to go dancing."
The room erupted in laughter. Here was a 94-year-old woman who, moments after receiving her hearing aids, was already planning her next adventure.
"What do you think about this?" Stahl asked, gesturing to the gift she'd just received.
"Ho ho ho!" Winifred laughed, radiating pure delight.
Modesa and Winifred's stories aren't unique. They represent millions.
Approximately 28.8 million Americans could benefit from hearing aids but don't use them. The primary barrier? Cost. Medicare doesn't cover hearing aids, and many insurance plans offer little to no coverage.
So people go without. For years. Sometimes decades.
The consequences extend far beyond just missing conversations:
"This group of individuals may not have access for hearing aids, not only because of the cost, but just not knowing where to go," explained Dr. Jennifer Cushing, audiologist and founder of the Live Better Foundation, which organized the event.
The December 12 event removed both barriers, providing not just free hearing aids, but comprehensive hearing evaluations, professional fittings, and follow-up care coordination.
Hearing isn't just about sound. It's about connection.
It's Modesa being able to talk with her family instead of watching from the sidelines.
It's Winifred going dancing instead of staying home alone.
It's being able to participate in the world instead of withdrawing from it.
"The holiday gift of hearing, being more connected to the world," as CBS reporter Stephanie Stahl put it in her coverage.
For the more than 30 people who received hearing aids that day in Germantown, December 12 marked a turning point: the day sound, and connection, returned to their lives.
The Gift of Hearing event was held at Face to Face in Germantown, a community organization serving North Philadelphia residents.
Hearing aids were provided through a combination of refurbished devices donated by patients and new hearing aids donated by manufacturer partners Phonak and Resound. Audiologists from Live Better Hearing + Balance—which serves Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and New Jersey with locations throughout the region including Bala Cynwyd, Lansdale, and Warminster—volunteered their time and expertise.
The event drew coverage from CBS 3 Philadelphia, NBC 10, and Fox 29, with the CBS story reaching national audiences through syndication to CBS affiliates across the country.
If you or someone you know in the Philadelphia area is struggling with hearing loss, resources are available:
Live Better Hearing + Balance provides comprehensive hearing healthcare throughout Pennsylvania, including locations in:
Comprehensive hearing evaluations can identify the extent of hearing loss and determine appropriate treatment options. Many insurance plans do provide some coverage for hearing evaluations, even if hearing aid coverage is limited.
For those who cannot afford hearing aids, the Live Better Foundation periodically hosts Gift of Hearing events throughout Pennsylvania and Maryland. Learn more at livebetterfoundation.org.
At the end of the CBS coverage, Modesa James summed up what the day meant to her:
"It's a dream I never thought would come true."
She's not alone in that feeling. Millions of Americans with hearing loss have resigned themselves to living without the help they need, simply because they can't afford it.
Events like the one in Germantown on December 12 prove it doesn't have to be that way.
Sound and connection can be restored. Lives can change. Dreams can come true.
Just ask Modesa. Just ask Winifred.
Better yet—listen to them tell you themselves.
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Video courtesy of CBS 3 Philadelphia. Watch the full coverage above to see Modesa and Winifred's emotional reactions.
