Our Story
Our journey into deaf education began more than 30 years ago when our son, Ben was born profoundly deaf. We have been deeply involved with The Learning Center for the Deaf (TLC) ever since. We saw that at TLC, Ben and his friends thrived and that they were able to do as well academically and intellectually as hearing children. For them, deafness was a communication difference, not a disability.
Tragically, we lost Ben in a fatal wakeboard sporting accident when he was 22.
We believe that all deaf children deserve the opportunity to thrive. Honoring Ben’s legacy has become our mission, and we’re dedicated to helping other deaf children realize their full potential.
Val and Carol Hollingsworth,
Founders of TLC Global Deaf Foundation
Ben Hollingsworth, 1994
Our family used ASL for fully accessible communication
Ben and his friend Colin (both deaf), with their Massachusetts State Science Fair project at MIT