He is not living a “normal” life.
He is living an extraordinary life!
HIS PAST – Jagger Winkler was born a healthy, vibrant baby boy in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
At 17 months old, while visiting his grandparents in New York for Christmas, Jagger came down with bacterial meningitis. He barely survived, was in a coma for 6 days, and suffered a stroke. When he woke, his family and medical team soon realized he was deaf, had lost his gross motor skills, and had completely lost his sense of balance. After spending a month in the hospital, he was implanted with bilateral cochlear implants.
Six months later, Jagger and his family returned home to build his new life. In Wyoming, however, he did not have the necessary specialists to help him learn to listen and talk. Each week for four years, Jagger and his parents flew to Denver to receive auditory-based therapy provided by Listen Foundation, along with audiology and other necessary services.
HIS PRESENT – Jagger is now in the 6th grade and is thriving. He attends a prestigious private school and performs at the top of his class. Jagger needs no support services, which is a testament to the power of cochlear implant technology and Listen Foundation’s ability to change lives.
The gift of hearing and speech Jagger received has helped to remove barriers and allowed him the opportunity to succeed, excel, and pursue his passions. Jagger loves to ski, surf, run cross country, and play lacrosse. He loves all things dealing with technology, and mentors younger students. He went to the state championship with his robotics team and even built his own computer from scratch.
In addition to being a great son, friend, and student, Jagger gives back by sharing his story so that families of all children with hearing loss know that their children can also achieve whatever they set their minds to.
FROM HIS AUNT VICTORIA – About a decade ago something happened to my family. Most of you know so I won’t go too deep, but for those who don’t just know it’s an adventure about a boy named Jagger who was told he would never live a “normal” life but nevertheless defied the odds and proved everyone wrong, all while sharing his infectious smile. It would also be the adventure that shook my core and changed my life path entirely… which is a tale for another time.
Over the years I have not witnessed another human that has worked as hard as Jagger to be the kid he is and to live the life he leads (it should be mentioned his parents are kind of rockstars that sacrificed a lot to get Jag where he is today) all while maintaining the best attitude. This kid is the definition of GRIT. He has never let anyone tell him he can’t or won’t do something. In fact I think he takes it as a challenge.
Today this handsome young man got his newest set of ears. It’s incredible and exciting to see how far he and the technology have come and all the opportunity and good things coming his way. But the most exciting part of this adventure is imagining all the butt kicking Jagger is going to do in his lifetime.
Because in the end all the doctors and therapists were right. He’s not living a “normal” life, he’s living an extraordinary one.
LISTEN FOUNDATION ensures that every child has access to this program by providing funding surpport families in need. We need your help to make sure that this critical funding is available for all children regardless of their financial situation.
Please consider making a donation in Jagger’s honor so that every family can have their own success story. Just click on the donate button on the left side of the page.
There is an interesting article on HearingLikeMe.com that discusses Jagger’s socialization at school.