‘BIP’ Star Abigail Heringer Shares How Cochlear Implant Changed Her Life
Abigail Heringer made history as the first deaf contestant on The Bachelor. How did having a cochlear implant change her life? Keep reading for all the details.
The Golden Bachelor Spotlights Hearing Aids
When fans met the new star of the Bachelor franchise earlier this year, he came with an accessory. Gerry Turner, the 72-year-old star of The Golden Bachelor, wears hearing aids in both ears.
Given his age, it’s no surprise, but television shows usually shy away from showing those types of things. Not only does Turner wear hearing aids, but one of his contestants does, too.
Frontrunner Leslie revealed her secret during a flirty exchange with the retiree. “If you ever wanna whisper sweet nothings in my ear, I will be able to hear you,” she said as she showed him her ear bling.
Whispering sweet nothings just got even sweeter. #TheGoldenBachelor is all new tonight at 8/7c on ABC! Stream on Hulu. pic.twitter.com/mlVeWgcyPI
— The Golden Bachelor (@GoldenBachABC) October 5, 2023
Before Gerry Turner and Leslie, Abigail Heringer shined a light on hearing loss. She was a contestant on Matt James’ season of The Bachelor before appearing on Season 7 of Bachelor In Paradise.
Unlike The Golden Bachelor, who has mild hearing loss, Heringer is completely deaf. She wears a cochlear implant that allows her to hear.
Bachelor In Paradise
Abigail Heringer found love on BIP with Noah Erb. While they broke up before the end of the season, they quickly reunited after filming and have been together for two years.
After leaving the beach, they decided not to rush their relationship and only just got engaged this summer. During her time on The Bachelor, Heringer resonated with viewers who were deaf or had hearing loss.
Since her time on the show, she has used her social media platform to educate about cochlear implants and hearing loss. And before you ask – no, she doesn’t know sign language.
Abigail Heringer Shares How Her Cochlear Implant Changed Her Life
Heringer features weekly videos on her Instagram where she answers questions from fans about being deaf, or sharing insight into how cochlear implants work.
In her latest video, she shares the four things she’s learned from having a cochlear implant. The reality star was just two when the device was implanted, so she’s had it for 26 years now. Even after all that time, she’s still astounded by the technology.
“I still have to wrap my head around the fact that this processor allows me to go from not hearing anything to being able to hear the world around me,” she said.
She also noted how far the technology has come. Heringer shared a throwback photo of one of the first processors she had, noting that she had to carry it in a fanny pack with the cord that ran to her ear.
The second thing she learned was the importance of having a support system and resources for information. She gave a shout-out to Cochlear.com, saying it’s “a great place to start.”
The third lesson she’s learned about her cochlear implant is that everyone will have an opinion about whether deaf people should wear the device or not. However, she advised, “Only you and your family know the best solution for your situation.”
Her fourth point was that normalizing hearing loss is important, and proudly showing your cochlear implant is one way to do that.
All great advice from the former Bachelor contestant. Follow her on Instagram for more videos about being deaf with a cochlear implant.
A new cast of Bachelor Nation hopefuls just hit the beach in Mexico on Season 9 of Bachelor In Paradise. Tune in on Thursdays at 9PM Eastern on ABC to see who finds love and who leaves the beach alone.
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