Hayward Duresseau received the proposal of a lifetime when the first sound he heard was his partner proposing.
BuzzFeed reports that Duresseau, 27, and Kerry Kennedy, 37, were on a trip in San Francisco when Duresseau developed a headache and sensitivity to light. His symptoms worsened and he was rushed to the hospital where he learned he had contracted bacterial meningitis. He was hospitalized for weeks, lost his vision, was paralyzed from the waist down and permanently lost his hearing.
For the next six months, Duresseau and Kennedy had to learn how to communicate with each other through American Sign Language (ASL).
“I could see everything that was going on — I could communicate, but the world couldn’t communicate back with me,” Duresseau added. “He would place the ‘I love you’ sign on my leg or on my back, and that’s when I knew I could go to sleep.”
Duresseau was approved for a cochlear implant and during the recovery period Kennedy was able to plan a proposal. When the implant was turned on Duressau learned his hearing was restored and his partner proposed.
The couple plans to wed during Mardi Gras in 2019 around the anniversary of their first date.
Watch below.
