A first-time dad in Virginia who is deaf was worried he wouldn’t be able to fully understand what was happening when his wife was in labor. Will McKendree relies on lip reading and other visual clues, but with everyone at the hospital wearing face masks, he was concerned he wouldn’t be able to communicate.
But the nurses at Sentara Princess Anne Hospital got out a sewing machine and created special masks that have a clear heavy-duty plastic panel over the mouth. This way, Will was able to read lips during the delivery of his baby girl, Cooper Lynn. He says the act of kindness brought him to tears.
“It was very emotional,” the new father explains. “Not many deaf people can have this type of experience with others thinking about us and our access to be able to communicate.”