Hear My Life: How a 13-year-old skier found his role model in Robin Gillon

Olympian Aaron Small, 13-year-old Emmett Haaland, and professional freestyle skier Robin Gillon celebrate a successful day on the slopes at Woodward Park City as part of the Hear My Life Ambassador Relay, fostering mentorship and representation for athletes with hearing loss. Photo: Phonak

PARK CITY, Utah—When 13-year-old Emmett Haaland first discovered Robin Gillon on Instagram, he couldn’t believe what he saw. Gillon, a professional freestyle skier, excelled in a sport that Emmett loved and had hearing loss, just like him.

Growing up in Boulder, Colorado, Emmett had experienced bullying and struggled to find a role model who shared his challenges. “There’s a kid in my school who has hearing aids, but I never met someone who’s a freestyle skier who has hearing aids,” Emmett said. “It was pretty cool to see that.”

With no expectations, Emmett sent Gillon a message on Instagram. To his surprise, Gillon responded. Over time, their virtual connection turned into a real friendship. This past week, they met in person for the first time at Woodward Park City, where Gillon and Olympic sprint kayaker Aaron Small spent the day coaching Emmett on the slopes.

The meeting was part of Phonak’s Hear My Life Ambassador Relay, an initiative designed to connect elite athletes with hearing loss and inspire the next generation to embrace their abilities. “We wanted to bring our ambassadors together in a way that wasn’t just social media campaigns, but real, impactful experiences,” said Moon Vitiello, part of the Hear My Life campaign team for Phonak.

A Two-Day Journey of Connection and Inspiration

The Hear My Life Ambassador Relay officially began with a two-day event in Park City. On the first day, Gillon invited Small to experience a day in his world—on the slopes. Small, a sprint kayaker who trained on the water his entire life, stepped into Gillon’s element, embracing the challenge of skiing. The two athletes shared stories of their struggles and triumphs, connecting over their experiences with hearing loss and resilience in competitive sports.

“We always wondered what it would be like to bring our ambassadors together,” Vitiello said. “They come from completely different worlds, but the shared experiences of growing up with hearing loss tied them together instantly.”

The second day was about Emmett. Gillon invited his young fan to spend the day skiing and learning new tricks. “We wanted to show Emmett that hearing loss is not a limitation,” Vitiello said. “This was a life-changing moment for him.”

A Shared Experience

Gillon, 30, was diagnosed with severe hearing loss at age 4. He grew up in Switzerland and often felt isolated in school and on the slopes despite his parents’ unwavering support. “There was very little information about what a deaf or hard-of-hearing person is,” Gillon said. “I had no idea that I could become someone one day. I thought my future looked very limited.”

For Emmett, the struggles felt eerily similar. He stopped wearing his hearing aids in elementary school, worried about standing out. It wasn’t until his mother, Kaite Haaland, found Gillon’s story online that Emmett started to reconsider.

“Robin encouraged him,” Kaite said. “But I think it was also about seeing someone cool, someone he looked up to, who was open about his hearing loss. That made a difference.”

When Emmett finally met Gillon in person, the bond was instant. “It was like looking at myself when I was younger,” Gillon said. “I wanted to speak to him the way I wish someone had spoken to me at that age.”

The day included lessons on the slopes, with Gillon teaching Emmett a trick he had been hesitant to try. “I was going to try a backflip,” Emmett said. “But we didn’t have enough time.” Instead, he focused on refining his 540 spin, a trick that lands backwards. “Robin told me to take the ear pads out of my helmet, and now I don’t get as disoriented,” Emmett said.

Representation Matters

Gillon was joined by Small, who was diagnosed with hearing loss at age 5 and competed in the Paris Summer Olympics in sprint kayaking. The two athletes, who met for the first time through the Hear My Life initiative, discovered common ground in their experiences growing up.

“When Emmett was telling his story about being bullied, Aaron stepped back and said, ‘That was me 10 years ago,’” Vitiello said. “He realized in that moment the responsibility of being a Phonak ambassador.”

For Gillon, the mission was clear. “I wish I had someone like me when I was growing up,” he said. “If I can make a change for even one kid, then my job is done. But this isn’t just about one kid. This is about breaking the cycle.”

Vitiello emphasized that the initiative is about more than just mentorship—it’s about changing perceptions. “Hearing loss shouldn’t be seen as a limitation,” she said. “These athletes are proving that every day.”

The Hear My Life initiative aims to continue that mission, with each ambassador passing the torch to the next. Small will host the next event, inviting professional soccer player Rylee Foster to experience a day in his world. Foster, in turn, will bring in rock guitarist Paul Gilbert, who has hearing loss, continuing the chain of representation and advocacy.

A Message for the Future

At the heart of it all, the message remains simple: hearing loss is not a barrier to success.

“If Emmett walks away from this with just one lesson, I hope it’s that he can become whoever he wants to be,” Gillon said. “There are no limits.”

For Emmett, the experience was unforgettable. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” he said. “I never thought I’d meet Robin, let alone ski with him.”

With World Hearing Day on March 3, the Hear My Life initiative hopes to spark conversations about inclusion, representation and self-advocacy.

“There’s still a stigma around hearing loss,” Gillon said. “But we’re changing that. One kid at a time.”