Dylan's Challenge raises over $1200 for cochlear implants
RICHFIELD (WITI) -- Baseball enthusiast, 9-year-old Dylan Boehler, loves the sights and sounds of the game, and has been incredibly inspired by another baseball fan, 24-year-old Jacob Landis.
The two met in May when Jacob made a stop at Miller Park on his mission, called "Jacob's Ride." The 10,500 mile cross-country bike ride, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and back, is raising money for cochlear implants -- something both boys have.
After wearing bilateral hearing aids since he was 3 1/2-years-old, Dylan received his implant last October.
"Things are better for me at school. I can hear much more things. Playing with my friends is much easier," said Dylan.
The implant greatly improved Dylan's ability to hear, similar to Jacob's experience in 1999 when he received his implant.
"Jacob's a young man so you can kind of see where he's at an what he's accomplished and see your own child being able to accomplish the same things that Jacob does," said Dylan's mother, Amy Boehler. "I think it's great. He's a great inspiration."
Dylan decided to take on a mission similar to "Jacob's Ride."
"Once I heard about 'Jacob's Ride' I would take a can and go around and around my neighborhood and go door to door. At different other neighborhoods, my dad drove me around. My mom put it on Facebook. People out of state and my aunts and uncles donated money," explained Dylan.
By the time the boys had a chance to meet, Dylan had raised $650.23 for "Jacob's Ride." As of now, he's raised over $1,200.
Now Dylan is hoping to raise even more money by starting "Dylan's Challenge."
"'Dylan's Challenge' is about Dylan inspiring 'Jacob's Ride' and 'Jacob's Ride' realizing that other kids can do this, too. They started a national campaign and we're contacting camps and schools and children all over the U.S. to get out there with a bucket," said Amy Boehler.
"Dylan's Challenge" runs until September 1st. Participants will have a chance to win a trip for two to Miami, Florida to meet Dylan and Jacob on September 24th when "Jacob's Ride" comes to an end.
Med-El, the maker of Dylan's implant, has also donated $1,000 to "Dylan's Challenge" and is supporting the cause through social media.
This isn't the first time Dylan has tried to help others receive cochlear implants. Four years ago, before he had one of his own, Dylan was fighting for cochlear implants to be covered by insurance.
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