42-year-old Robert Haney Jr. was overjoyed to be able to communicate without his wife interpreting after losing his hearing at the age of three due to a fight with meningitis.
When a waiter at one of the couple’s favorite restaurants in Indiana started using sign language in July this year, it took him by surprise. Even though he had experienced similar things previously, the fact that it took place in a location that was so meaningful and familiar to them made it even more significant.
The video garnered over 1 million views. “My first thoughts were that I was shocked and excited because not many waiters know American Sign Language (ASL),” Haney told People recently.
He felt seen, understood, and welcomed in a way that words alone frequently cannot describe. The father of two was thrilled to not have to rely on his wife to communicate although she concentrated on ASL interpreting in college.
When they are together, his wife, Maggie Haney, 33, revealed she usually interprets for him because “it is just faster for me to interpret,” not because he is unable or doesn’t want to communicate on his own.
He can communicate with people on his own using a variety of methods, including speech, gestures, lip reading, and talk-to-text apps on his phone, she said.
The waitress during this particular scenario was able to easily understand his food order and carry on a lengthy discussion because of her basic sign language skills, which made everything feel easy and natural.
“Most of the time, I have to work extra hard to communicate with others who don’t know ASL,” Haney recounted. “As a deaf person, I can sometimes feel isolated because communication isn’t always easy. When waiters know even just a little bit of ASL, I don’t have to work hard to communicate.”
Haney, the owner of a moving company, rarely sees people who understand American Sign Language. Most of his clients don’t know how to use sign language.
According to him, little efforts by those who can hear, such as making eye contact or writing things down, can greatly improve communication.
“Please don’t tell them to just read your lips,” he emphasized, highlighting the challenges and limitations of lip reading.
For someone who is deaf or hard of hearing, even learning the ASL alphabet or a few simple signs can make a big difference.
“I just want people to be open to learning and communicating with people that are different than them,” his wife shared.
“Too often, I witness people get a look of panic on their face or even frustration when they see that my husband is deaf. I hope our video inspires more people to be kind and respectful.”
As content producers, the couple hope to raise awareness of the deaf community, inspire others to learn sign language, and treat deaf people with the same dignity and respect as everyone else.
“Deaf people are capable of doing absolutely anything,” she said. “The only thing they cannot do is hear; that’s it. So when the waitress said she knew a little bit of sign, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to show the impact accessibility can have.”
According to ASL Bloom, American Sign Language (ASL) is a visual language spoken predominantly by Deaf and hard-of-hearing persons in the United States and Canada. However, it also operates in areas of Africa, the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia. According to estimates, between 250,000 and 500,000 individuals use ASL. This includes both native and non-native users. ASL remains one of the world’s most known and commonly taught sign languages.
