Finding my footing again: Teoy's story

Meet Teoy

Teoy is a student at Scots College in Wellington who moved from Thailand about three years ago. Sport has always been a big part of Teoy’s life, especially football, and it’s where he feels most confident and connected. Teoy never imagines that a moment on the field would change his life.

The moment everything changed

During Teoy’s first year in Wellington, he had an accident while playing football. He was shoved off balance and fell hard onto a metal bar, hitting his neck and right ear. The pain was intense.

“I had a large bruise around my ear and noticed fluid coming out of it, which immediately worried me. That pain was what pushed me to get it checked.”

Realising something was wrong

Before the accident, Teoy hadn’t noticed any problems with his hearing. But while waiting for answers, he started testing it himself. When he rubbed his fingers near each ear, he realised he couldn’t hear as clearly on his right side.

“In class, things became harder. If teachers or friends spoke quickly or mumbled, I struggled to keep up. I often had to ask people to repeat themselves, which made me feel embarrassed. I also noticed I was listening to music louder than usual — something that felt strange at the time.”

Getting and processing the hearing loss diagnosis

After a process that took around two to three weeks, doctors told him he had fractured a small bone near his ear. It affected the hearing in his right ear — something he had already started to sense, but still found difficult to hear confirmed.

They offered a hearing aid, explaining that he could however manage without one if it wasn’t affecting him too much.

“At first, I was shocked. I worried about how hearing loss might affect my daily life, whether people would judge me, and whether my hearing might get worse over time.”

Because Teoy plays sport often, he decided not to get a hearing aid at this point in time as he is worried it might interfere with his lifestyle. He is hopeful his hearing won’t decline further. But the experience still changed how he saw himself — especially with his confidence when talking to others.

Fundraising for change

Hearing loss isn’t new in Teoy’s family. He grew up watching his grandma live with hearing loss and saw how it made everyday conversations harder and sometimes isolating, even when others didn’t notice.

“Experiencing hearing loss myself helped me understand just how much we take hearing for granted — and how frustrating it can be to feel left out of moments that should be simple.”

That’s why Teoy chose to fundraise for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Foundation at the Wellington edition of Round the Bays. He wants to raise awareness, support others going through similar experiences, and help people feel more connected and confident in themselves.

“If I could give advice to someone just starting their hearing loss journey, it would be this: don’t be afraid of being judged — unlike I was. There are ways to get support, and you don’t have to panic or go through it alone.”

Support Teoy's fundraiser