Man Proposes to Boyfriend Just As He Regains His Hearing

Partners of three years, Kerry and Hayward had no idea how their lives were about to change following their San Francisco vacation earlier this year visiting family.

While vacationing, Hayward contracted bacterial meningitis, a potentially fatal infection that inflames the brain and spinal cord, and ended up hospitalized for three weeks. During his hospitalization, Hayward was paralyzed from the waist down, blind for two and a half weeks, and lost his hearing. He had a life-saving surgery and recovered from most of his injuries, but became permanently deaf.

Hayward and Kerry had difficulty adjusting to their new circumstances over the next six months. Hayward described his condition as being in jail in his own head. He and his boyfriend Kerry both learned sign language so they could still speak with each other.

"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," Hayward told BuzzFeed News.

Just recently, Hayward got approved for a cochlear ear implant that will allow him to hear again. While he recovered from his surgery and waited for the day he could hear once more, Kerry began plotting a surprise for his partner. 

"I wanted to the first thing that I said to him to be me asking for his hand."

As the audiologist turned on Hayward's implant, surrounded by their family and friends, Kerry proposed. 

"It's been kind of a long journey to get to this point but I'm glad we were able to do it together," Kerry began. "I want to keep doing these things with you and helping you as much as I can because I know you help me."

Kerry opened the ring box and got down on one knee. "Will you marry me?" 

Hayward bursts into tears. "I was in shock," Hayward explained. "I’m hearing all these click sounds, I’m hearing my brother speak, and I can hear Kerry, and the first thing that comes out of his mouth — it’s this big spiel about how far we've gotten and he gets down on one knee."

Hayward lovingly went on, "Before, I knew he loved me, but now? It’s surreal. He’s there."

Congrats Hayward and Kerry! The two hope to get married around Mardi Gras 2019!