Partially deaf guard wants to hear clearly

Whenever 42-year-old security guard Omar Pryce talks with co-workers and customers, he pays particular attention to their lips as that's how he 'hears' them loud and clear.

Pryce was born with a deformed right ear and has lived his entire life partially deaf. Still, he has carved out a life of quiet resilience in a demanding profession, and proves that silence, for him, has never been a barrier to purpose.

"It's difficult for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing to be employed," he told THE STAR in a written interview. "Someone encouraged me to try, and at first I said no. But I decided to believe in myself, and I surprised myself with how capable I am."

Before entering the security field, Pryce did several jobs, from shopkeeping and sales to housekeeping; anything that allowed him to earn an honest living. For the past year, he has worked with a security company, a job he landed through a training course.

"I listen carefully, read people's lips, and sometimes use a little sign [language]," he said. "From far away, I can't hear, but up close, I manage." On duty, he scans visitors with quiet precision, a hand resting lightly on his radio as he watches mouths move for instruction. His calm manner has earned the respect of colleagues who sometimes forget that he can't hear them calling from a distance.

But his persistence was born out of pain, shaped by the teasing and taunts that trailed him through childhood.

"Children used to bully and make fun of me," he told THE STAR. "Once I was walking past some school children and they started laughing. I told them to stop because it can happen to anyone. They did stop. I even showed them my handwriting, and they were shocked. I just wanted them to understand that I'm human like them."

The memories still sting, yet he carries them like lessons rather than wounds.

"Sometimes I wish I could just hear the sound of rain properly," he admitted. "But I don't sit and cry over it. I work, I pray, and I try."

His biggest dream now is to undergo reconstructive surgery that could allow him to hear clearly. The procedure, which can be done overseas, is estimated to cost US$10,700 (approximately J$1.6 million). Reconstructive ear surgery is a delicate operation that rebuilds or reshapes parts of the ear, often creating a new outer ear structure and, in some cases, improving hearing by opening or connecting the ear canal.

"When I was a child, doctors tried to fix it," he said. "Now that I'm grown, I said to myself, why not try again? If I could hear clearly, it would change my life."

He has already met a doctor in Kingston who performs similar surgeries, but the price tag has placed that hope on hold.

"I would love to do it here in Jamaica if possible," he said. "It's just hard to get the help." Earlier this year, Pryce applied to the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities for financial assistance, but was told he would have to wait until next year. Until then, he continues to save what little he can from his earnings, holding tightly to hope that keeps him moving forward.

"Despite the odds and challenges, I will keep on believing and pushing," he said. "At the end of the day, no one will do it for me."

His determination mirrors the quiet fight of many Jamaicans living with disabilities who, despite laws guaranteeing inclusion, still face barriers in work and daily life. That reality, according to Senator Floyd Morris, Jamaica's first blind parliamentarian, is exactly why stronger support systems are needed.

"Individuals claiming that the Disabilities Act is not effective because it has no teeth, I fundamentally disagree with that," Morris told THE STAR. "We are in an era where there is an emphasis on the fundamental rights of persons with disabilities, not charity, not welfare." But he said discrimination remains a major barrier to empowerment, and noted there are challenges for persons with disabilities in areas such as healthcare and education.

But Pryce meets his challenges with the belief that effort and faith still count for something.

"I just want the chance to hear life fully and to make something of it,"he said.

Persons wishing to assist Omar Pryce may contact him at 876-280-9735 for more information or to offer support.