Deaf groom receives cochlear implant in time for his wedding


The clinking of glasses, the well-wishes from his guests, his new wife saying "I do" — David Alianiello was able to hear all of this during his wedding last weekend.
Alianiello, a 34-year-old teacher from Baltimore, was born with congenital hearing loss. A week before his wedding, he received a cochlear implant, which is an electronic device that partially restores hearing. On the big day, Alianiello could "hear the clapping," he told People. "It was the first time I had ever heard clapping. It was fun to be able to experience the different sounds."
Right after getting the implant, Alianiello heard his daughter, Skyli, singing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," which was "very sweet," he said. Alianiello and his wife, Cortney, are expecting their second child, and he's looking forward to listening to more songs from Skyli and "the first words my new baby speaks." Catherine Garcia
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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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