One man's vision is to bridge the gap between sound and silence.
- Ryan Vander Weide uses sign language to help others understand
- Weide was born deaf in left ear; can hear a bit in right
- Deaf chat is a way to help people increase sign language skills
- RELATED: Weide's deaf chat Facebook group
Life was not always easy for Ryan Vander Weide. Born deaf, he wore a hearing aid since the age of 4.
"I am completely deaf in my left ear. I have some hearing in my right ear," he said.
However, the man learned to be an advocate for himself in the classroom and decided to teach others throughout Orange County to do the same, teaching deaf and hard of hearing students throughout the district.
Not long ago, Weide got an idea, as he dreamt of spreading awareness and helping others hone American Sign Language skills: a deaf chat.
"I kind of asked the group 'Would you be interested in doing something outside the class, like a deaf chat?'" said Weide, a sign language teacher.
While it started out just for fun, a monthly chat outside Axum Coffee in Winter Garden soon grew. Parents, teachers and students gather outside the buzzing coffeehouse, scraping their metal chairs across the pavement as they continually widen the chat circle with new drop-ins.
"I consider talking cheating a little bit. Because you don't learn a lot when you're talking," he said. "It gives connection. Deaf people are thrilled when they see someone using their language. Their eyes light up when they see someone communicating. It's amazing, amazing to see that."
It is those silent ripples of understanding between the deaf and hearing worlds, which the Everyday Hero hopes to spread.
"I never really considered myself a hero. I feel like this is something I was called to do," he said. "That excites me that people care, people care about the language."