COCHLEAR IMPLANT IS MUSIC TO TEEN’S EARS / DEVICE ALLOWS CHS STUDENT TO PLAY PIANO, HEAR TEACHERS, COMMUNICATE WITH FRIENDS

John Farley sits quietly, facing the wall and concentrating. He repeats a sentence spoken a moment ago: “It’s a bright and sunny day.” Born profoundly deaf 16 years ago, John has been able since he was 3 months old to catch scraps of sounds – a knock, his mother’s voice – with the help of hearing aids. But words spoken behind his back were an unintelligible mumble until 13 months ago. A Charlottesville High School junior, John is one of about 200 patients to receive a cochlear implant at the UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA.