Like many other kids, DuJuan Broadus Jr. loved playing video games, spending time with friends, and living a typical teenage life.

But when he suddenly lost interest in baseball, his parents knew something wasn't right.

“At the time I attributed it to him just being nervous,” remembers his dad. But that wasn't the case.

Speech pathologists determined that DuJuan had severe hearing loss caused by an abnormality in his cochlea: a small, snail-like structure in the inner ear responsible for translating sound into signals the brain can understand.

Because of the progression of his hearing loss, traditional hearing aids couldn't help. But advanced care at UK HealthCare's Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Clinic could.

DuJuan and his mother. — From time with friends to enjoying his favorite activities, DuJuan is getting back to the moments that matter most. | Photo provided by UK HealthCare

To restore DuJuan's hearing, Dr. Nathan Cass fitted him with a first-in-the-country cochlear implant featuring a cutting-edge electrode array designed to provide hearing stimulation across the full length of his inner ear.

Today, DuJuan is able to hear clearly for the first time and enjoy the everyday moments that mean the most.

It may sound ordinary, but ask DuJuan and he'll tell you the extraordinary truth: "I've never smiled this much."