OT: Starkey Hearing Aids (non-stock) story

[SundialMan]

When my dad was in the last months of his life, he got into a fight with a hearing aid dealer in Florida who wouldn't adjust his $5700 pair of Starkey hearing aids. I went on the internet and found out Starkey's headquarters were in Eden Prairie, Minn. I called them, found out they were a decent, charitable company that donated hearing aids to poor people. Then I wrote them an email in which we offered to come to Minn. at our own expense if they'd fix the hearing aids (still under warrantee). They not only agreed, but extended his warantee so we could come to Minnesota in April instead of January (brrrr). It was weird because my dad was somewhat better from radiation treatments and some health food regimen I put him on. At the last minute, he agreed to go and we had to first fly to NY, pick up the hearing aids he had sent me, rest, then fly to Minnesota a week later.

To make a long story a bit shorter, Mr. Austin, the son of the president of Starkey, treated my dad like a royalty. We spent a day and a half at their headquarters where they completely rebuilt his hearing aids (probably junked the old ones), took new molds of his ear canals, and fine tuned the pair. My dad died 3 1/2 months after he got the new hearing aids. Later, I wrote Mr. Austin thanking him for giving my dad back a great part of his dignity.

By the way, the walls at Starkey are full of pictures of celebrities they made hearing aids for: Kirk Douglas, Imelda Marcos, Bill Clinton's Sec. of Defense Cohen, Grandpa Jones of Hee Haw, Lou Ferrigno (the Incredible Hulk on tv), etc. Starkey goes to Central America every year and fits poverty stricken kids with free hearing aids. The trips are financed by an annual charity concert in either LA or the Twin Cities. I went to one with some friends I have in Minnesota after my dad passed. The performer was Elton John and it was held at the River Center in St. Paul, next to where the NHL team plays. Elton didn't sprout any outrageous statements - and he said something I agree with: "This evening (with its generous charitable auction donations) should be on television, not the negativity they show."

Jack

[jiesen]

That's a fantastic story, Jack. Thanks for sharing it! I wish more companies could be like that one. If I ever need a hearing aid, I know where I'll be buying it.

[SundialMan]

I wrote some personal additional facts to this road story, incorporated in the body of the original. Here is version 2 of my visit with my dad to Starkey headquarters.

Starkey Hearing Aids

When my dad was in the last months of his life, he got into a fight with a hearing aid dealer in Florida who wouldn't adjust his expensive pair of Starkey hearing aids. I went on the internet and found out Starkey's headquarters were in Eden Prairie, Minn. This is a town near the Twin Cities, a place I had visited many times to see friends who left New York. I called Starkey, found out they were a decent, charitable company that donated hearing aids to poor people. Then I wrote them an email in which we offered to come to Minnesota at our own expense if they'd fix the hearing aids (still under warrantee). They not only agreed, but extended my dad's warrantee so we could come to Minnesota in April instead of January (brrrr). It was weird because my dad was somewhat better from radiation treatments and some health food regimen I put him on. At the last minute, he agreed to go and we had to first fly to NY, pick up the hearing aids he had sent me, rest, then fly to Minnesota a week later.

My dad had been arguing with me saying the company couldn't possibly fix the hearing aids because they were small and I kept saying that miniaturized technology could easily be better. The morning of the scheduled meeting at Starkey headquarters, my dad voiced the following "optimistic" opinion: "This whole trip is worth shit." Not wanting to argue with a very ill 86 year old, I calmly told him, "I'm not as smart as you are. I say there is a 50-50 chance they can fix them. Let's give them a chance." We got in the rental car and I drove.

To make a long story a bit shorter, Mr. Austin, the son of the president of Starkey, treated my dad like a royalty. We spent a day and a half at their headquarters where they completely rebuilt his hearing aids (probably junked the old ones), took new molds of his ear canals, and fine tuned the pair's sound reception. My dad died 3 1/2 months after he got the new hearing aids. Later, I wrote Mr. Austin thanking him for giving my dad back a great part of his dignity.

By the way, the walls at Starkey are full of pictures of celebrities they made hearing aids for: Kirk Douglas, Imelda Marcos, Bill Clinton's Sec. of Defense Cohen, Grandpa Jones of Hee Haw, Lou Ferrigno (the Incredible Hulk on tv), etc. Starkey goes to Central America every year and fits poverty stricken kids with free hearing aids. The trips are financed by an annual charity concert in either LA or the Twin Cities. I went to one with some friends I have in Minnesota after my dad passed. The performer was Elton John and it was held at the River Center in St. Paul, next to where the NHL team plays. Elton didn't sprout off any outrageous statements - and he said something I agree with: "This evening (with its generous charitable auction donations) should be on television, not the negativity they show."

Jack