- Jun 10, 2015
- 3 min read

Trekking for the Gift of Sound

Yoni is a 14-year-old boy on a mission to climb all 46 high peaks in the Adirondacks. He’ll achieve this goal (I have no doubt!) over the summer of 2015 and is commemorating the occasion by raising money to help a CHC family in need of hearing aids for their child with hearing loss.

Trekking for the Gift of Sound is Yoni’s way of giving back to CHC and ensuring that a child who is deaf and hard of hearing can get the care they need to reach their full potential. Yoni certainly is reaching his.

For CHC kids, the sky’s the limit

I first met Yoni when he was 11 months old. I gave him a hearing evaluation that confirmed his severe hearing loss and fit him with hearing aids. Five months later he received his first cochlear implant. The journey since then has sometimes been an uphill climb. But Yoni, like a lot of kids who receive services at CHC, has risen to the occasion.

Now bilaterally implanted, Yoni is making the most of his teen years. He’s excelling academically, playing competitive soccer, and on his way to becoming a skilled drummer.

On the topic of climbing and how Yoni got the trekking bug, here is what his parents shared:

Since early childhood, he took to trekking in the Adirondack Mountains. At age six, Yoni climbed his first high peak (over 4,000 feet). At that point, he and his older sister desired to become 46ers (someone who’s reached the summit of all 46 high peaks).

They have hiked the arduous marked and unmarked trails under all weather conditions. Since many of the hikes can be up to or more than 20 miles, over 12 hours in duration, with wet weather conditions, Yoni has had to ascend and descend thousands of feet many times without his implants (without hearing). This has been difficult for him due to the very steep and rocky terrain. Significant planning has gone into each of their hikes since the peaks are located in areas designated as “wilderness” and our family has never used a guide. The trekking has made a significant impact on both children with countless lessons learned. He has hiked more than 300 miles and has reached the summit of all but three high peaks. Two years ago, Yoni and his sister started a website as a resource to help other children and families wanting to climb all 46 high peaks. The website can be found at http://www.46ers4kids.com/.

We’re very thrilled and inspired that Yoni will be the first hearing-disabled individual to trek and summit all of New York State’s 46 high peaks (according to NYS record-keeping historians)!

I am so proud of Yoni and everything he’s been able to achieve at the age of 14. Really incredible. He’s proof that when children who are deaf and hard of hearing get the services and amplification they need, the sky’s the limit!