Reid Kelly, Au.D., is an audiologist at Hearts for Hearing, who gives adults with hearing loss the gift of sound. Reid has dedicated his career to connecting families and loved ones through innovative audiology care. Now it’s his turn to experience the depth sound brings to life. September 3, 2026, the day his own cochlear implant was activated, he wanted the first thing he heard to be the love of his life saying yes to spending forever with him.
“I want the first thing I hear to be her yes!”
Reid and Kyra met at a Denver Broncos game, “He told me that I was the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen” says Kyra, and the rest was history! The two began dating while living in Colorado, spending every weekend in the mountains and exploring the outdoors. In Kyra’s words, “God was at work in every step of our relationship — from how we met, to the fact that Reid already knew about Hearts for Hearing, to the fact that I had a friend who worked there… it meant we got to move back to Oklahoma and be close to my family. It all came together in the most amazing way.” Shortly after Reid graduated with his doctorate in audiology, the couple moved to Oklahoma City, OK, and Reid joined the Hearts for Hearing staff as an adult audiologist.
Reid was born with hearing loss before the newborn hearing screen was a standard practice. “I flew under the radar,” he says, until a routine screening at school revealed he had hearing loss at age 5. Reid was then fit with hearing aids and has worn them ever since.
Following decades of hearing aids and the need for more access to sound, Reid made the decision to receive a cochlear implant. For his activation, he had one more request: he wanted the very first sound he heard through his new cochlear implant to be something worth waiting for, “I want the first thing I hear to be her yes!”
She Said YES!
September 3, 2026, Hearts for Hearing was buzzing with excitement. Reid is such a beloved member of our team; the anticipation for both his activation and proposal was palpable. Reminiscing on the morning, Kyra remembers, “Leading up to his cochlear implant activation, Reid seemed really nervous — and I just assumed it was because of the activation itself. It’s a huge moment! When we got to Hearts for Hearing, I noticed the whole team seemed extra excited and kept peeking in to check on how things were going — but I didn’t think much of it at the time.” As Reid’s team prepared his implant for activation, they told Kyra she would be the first to speak, “but the moment they activated it, Reid said he had something to say first. He grabbed the ring, dropped to one knee, and proposed. He said the first thing he wanted to hear was me saying yes…I said yes!”
That moment was overwhelming, beautiful, and full of celebration. Reid’s exact words were, “This is the first thing I want to hear…The amount of love and support you have shown me and the grace you have given me. Will you make me the luckiest man alive and will you marry me?” Instantly, Kyra said yes and the building erupted in cheers. There are moments in life that are worth waiting for, and this was one of them!
Listening for a Lifetime, Together
When asked about their future, Kyra says, “I’m hopeful for all the adventures ahead of us — building a life together, starting a family one day, and continuing to grow through the big and small moments. I’m excited to see how Reid’s cochlear implant continues to open new doors for him — new sounds, new experiences, new possibilities. And I hope our story can encourage other couples that hearing loss doesn’t limit what your life together can look like.”
Sound is a gateway to connection, possibilities, relationships, and adventure. Reid and Kyra’s proposal illustrates something Hearts for Hearing strives to give every patient, every day. Not just access to sound, but access to connection – to the people, words, and moments that make life meaningful. This holiday season, your gift to Hearts for Hearing can help someone else hear their own “yes” – whether it’s a proposal, a child’s first word, or the voice of someone they love.
Hearts for Hearing’s mission, empowering individuals through life-changing hearing health to listen for a lifetime, is aimed at providing access to connection, connections like Reid and Kyra’s. “Kyra has been my rock through every step of this journey. From learning about hearing loss on her own, to supporting me through the cochlear implant process, to saying yes on the best day of my life — she’s shown me what it means to truly have a partner. I’m so glad I came to work at Hearts for Hearing and that we came to Oklahoma and for giving me the chance to help others the way they’ve helped me. And I’m grateful for Kyra for making every part of this journey better just by being in it.”
Advice for Couples on a Listening and Spoken Language Journey
Communication is fundamental in navigating all relationships but is especially important when hearing loss is a factor. Kyra adds, “I’d say — look for the silver linings. For example, I don’t have to worry about staying quiet when he takes a nap, I can listen to music while he’s only six feet from me. That’s a perk! But honestly, some things just look a little different for us, and we adjust. Car rides can be tough for conversation, so we use a mini mic — I wear it while he drives so he can hear me clearly. Auditory fatigue is real and frequent, so showing patience when he’s more tired than usual after a long day at work is part of the deal…It’s about meeting each other where you are and finding what works for the two of you. If you’re in a relationship with someone with hearing loss, my biggest advice is to stay curious, stay patient, and never stop learning.”
Curiosity, patience, and advocacy are pillars of Reid and Kyra’s relationship. Reid describes Kyra’s support, “It means the world. She doesn’t get upset when I ask “What?” multiple times. She’s found creative ways to communicate when it’s difficult — like using the Notes app on her phone or writing things out for me. She advocates for me in the environments we’re in, whether that’s asking for the quietest area in a restaurant or signing us up for events and activities that are hearing-loss friendly. She’s always thinking ahead and making sure I’m included, and that kind of support is something I never take for granted.”
