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Deaf Florida boy hears guitar for first time

Posted at 7:42 AM, Sep 24, 2015
and last updated 2015-09-24 07:42:55-04

FORT MYERS, FL — Life has been a fight each and every day for 12-year-old Alex Allen, who was born deaf and blind with severe disability.

“Everyday we have him, it’s a blessing. We found him in a hospital in a corner dirty [with] nothing for him to play with,” Diane Allen, his mother said.

Alex was adopted when he was four years old by Diane and Robert Allen.

“And we said that’s the one we’re going to take home,” Diane said.

Today he’s struggling with stage four kidney failure.

“At 15 percent you’re considered total failure; he’s [at] 16 right now,” Diane said.

The classroom is where the six-grader can simply be a kid.

“He gets just so excited,” Diane said.

But what comes next surprised teachers.

“I saw Alexander with his arm on the guitar,” Dr. Ruthie Lohmeyer, the principal said.

This snapshot captures the first time Alex heard the guitar.

“The classroom teacher took a photo of it,” Dr. Lohmeyer said.

It was an instant hit on Twitter.

“As soon as he felt the vibrations, he just started to hug the instrument,” Kim Scheetz, the music therapist said.

Now he comes to school everyday clapping his hands loudly and leaning in closer to feel the vibrations. His family says it’s a sign of his will to live.

“This is a testimony to his strength; his inner core of who he is. He wants to be here just a little bit longer,” Diane said.