WCCO-TV first met Andria on her second birthday, when she understood music and words only through sign language. WCCO followed back in fall of 1996 when they brought her to the
University of Iowa to receive a cochlear implant. At the time, some in
the deaf community disapproved. Opponents told the Warner family a child
should be old enough to choose the life altering procedure on their
own, but Laure and Gene (her parents) saw the tiny device as an opportunity. Andria’s first sounds were her own cries, and finally laughter. An
implant doesn’t restore normal hearing, but gave her the means to hear
her environment, and understand speech. Read more about this story to see how the follow up reveals the effect the implant has had on Andria’s life.