Viewers step in to pay for Grayslake teen's hearing aids

BySamantha Chatman WLS logo
Friday, March 13, 2020
Viewers step in to pay for Grayslake teen's hearing aids
A Grayslake mother fighting to get her daughter affordable hearing aids is getting some help thanks to some good Samaritans.

GRAYSLAKE, Ill. (WLS) -- A Grayslake mother fighting to get her daughter affordable hearing aids is getting some help thanks to some to some ABC7 viewers

Sidney Mitsch, 16, has been wearing hearing aids since she was a baby due to a hearing disorder.

RELATED: Grayslake mother fights for affordable hearing aids for daughter

An Illinois state law requires all insurance companies to cover hearing aids for kids 18 and under, so why did one Grayslake family get denied?

Thanks to her father's military benefits, the family says the hearing aids were completely covered. But when her father retired for health reasons...the devices were no longer covered, costing the family $6,700.

Many viewers who saw the story wanted to help, including the Toyo family.

The Tovo family says in part, "We have a son who is in the Marines. Your story truly touched us as a family. I watched the story with my 9-year-old twins, who asked why nobody would help the family. And I told them that it is up to us, each person in this world, to help one another. And that was when we sent the email to ABC...so, I just want to thank the Mitsch family for the sacrifices they made for this country. And to let them know that there are people out there who truly respect and appreciate those sacrifices."

The Tovo family says they will be paying for Sydney's hearing aids and have already connected with them!

"We can't tell you how thankful, how humbled we are. Thank you so much...And thank you, Samantha. without you and the ABC team, this wouldn't have even been possible," Lori and Sydney Mitsch said.