The Soundtrack of Silence

Matt Hay, MBA has a 25-year journey toward deafness (and subsequent recovery with his auditory brainstem implant). He shared his story on a National Public Radio (NPR) podcast titled Soundtrack of Silence. The intimate, funny and authentic segment inspired actor Channing Tatum and Paramount Pictures to option the motion picture rights to Matt’s life story and St. Martin’s Press, an imprint of MacMillan Books to option his memoir.
Learn More About Matt

Matt Hay is

 

Matt was a sophomore in college when he finds out he is going to lose his hearing. He coasts through the early years of his diagnosis in denial, but as his hearing aids get bigger and bigger, Matt realizes he wants to capture the sounds that are slipping away: his girlfriend's voice, the click of her heels; and especially, the songs of their invincible youth. Matt starts listening to music with a new appreciation — truly studying it, as he curates the soundtrack for the rest of his life. Behind each song, there is a coming-of-age story about freedom, tragedy, and falling in love. When Matt’s hearing eventually fades to nothing, the silent soundtrack in his head takes on a role he never imagines. The audience for his story of overcoming the physical, mental and emotional challenges always changes but his authentic delivery never does. He shares his message in hopes to keep someone from ever feeling as lost, helpless and alone as he did the day he woke up deaf…the day sound became only a memory.
Listen to the full NPR podcast

Matt Hay is

 

Matt was a sophomore in college when he finds out he is going to lose his hearing. He coasts through the early years of his diagnosis in denial, but as his hearing aids get bigger and bigger, Matt realizes he wants to capture the sounds that are slipping away: his girlfriend's voice, the click of her heels; and especially, the songs of their invincible youth. Matt starts listening to music with a new appreciation — truly studying it, as he curates the soundtrack for the rest of his life. Behind each song, there is a coming-of-age story about freedom, tragedy, and falling in love. When Matt’s hearing eventually fades to nothing, the silent soundtrack in his head takes on a role he never imagines. The audience for his story of overcoming the physical, mental and emotional challenges always changes but his authentic delivery never does. He shares his message in hopes to keep someone from ever feeling as lost, helpless and alone as he did the day he woke up deaf…the day sound became only a memory.
Listen to the full NPR episode
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new book out now:

Soundtrack of Silence

A love story wrapped in a setback/comeback memoir of a young man who discovered he was going completely deaf just at the moment he’d fallen in love for the first time.
Get your copy today!
Image
new book out now:

Soundtrack of Silence

A love story wrapped in a setback/comeback memoir of a young man who discovered he was going completely deaf just at the moment he’d fallen in love for the first time.
Get your copy today!

Keynote Speaking

Matt passionately supports the hearing loss community as a consultant for the St Joseph Institute for the Deaf and member of the Columbia University Genetic Counseling Advisory Board. He’s proudly served as a Congressional Lobbyist for neurofibromatosis (NF) research funding, the genetic disorder that caused his hearing loss, and has personally raised more than $100,000 for NF research by doing endurance events, including an Ironman Triathlon and most recently, the Boston Marathon (he didn’t win any of them). Matt currently leads sales and marketing at Redux where his work enhances hearing aid performance. He lives in Westfield, IN with his wife, three children, and a very opinionated Labradoodle named Charley.
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Matt Shares His Story on the "Hearing Wellness Journey" Podcast

October 4, 2021
Matt Hay shares his unique hearing loss story and journey with NF2, perseverance, achieving goals, and celebrating all wins. It all began as a teen when he struggled to understand what people were saying.

listen to the podcast

Read Matt's Article "Nowhere Man" in Hearing Life Magazine

September 20, 2020
The Beatles gave Matt Hay "Help" when he needed it. Songs like "Nowhere Man", "Yesterday", and "Blackbird" had a way of summing up his feelings when his hearing started to go. He later turned to their music when his auditory brainstem implant helped him recover some hearing.

read the full article

Channing Tatum to Star in ‘Soundtrack of Silence’ Drama for Paramount

November 1, 2019
Soundtrack of Silence, with a screenplay by Jamie Linden, is based on the KQED story about Matt Hay, a sophomore in college who is losing his hearing and wants to capture the sounds that are slipping away, including the songs and soundtrack of his youth.

read the full article

“Soundtrack of Silence” NPR podcast with April Dembosky

April 11, 2017
Matt Hay is a sophomore in college when he finds out he is going to lose his hearing. He coasts through the early years of his diagnosis in denial, but as his hearing aids get bigger and bigger, Matt realizes he wants to capture the sounds that are slipping away: his girlfriend's voice, the click of her heels; and especially, the songs of their invincible youth.

listen to the podcast

WGN News Segment: “Guy With Debilitating Disease Strives to Run Ironman”

November 23, 2011
Father of three with debilitating disease strives to do Ironman...Matt Hayhas Neurofibromatosis (NF2). He's had to learn how to walk and talk again, and is fighting this deadly disease on a daily basis. But he wants to do an Ironman Triathalon. Dan Ponce of WGN News reports.

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