Meet Sue Thomas & Hearing Golden Gracie

This is Amazing Grace, a very lovely Golden who also answers to “Gracie.” She was born in July 1994 in the splendid hills of Napa Valley, California. In 1995, Gracie was placed in the Therapy Dog Program for training to become a Certified Hearing Dog for the deaf. And, in February 1996, she earned the right to the orange collar—leash that is given to only a few dogs in the program. She entered active service and was teamed with Sue Thomas.

This means "I love you" in American Sign Language!

Only months earlier, Sue had lost her long-time canine hearing companion, Levi. So, she welcomed Gracie as best friend, constant traveling companion and “ears to the world.” It was probably in gratitude for this special canine that Sue named her new gem Agracienew.jpg (9966 bytes)mazing Grace. Today, Gracie is quickly becoming the “most frequent flyer” dog at United Airlines. She travels throughout the country with Sue and stands in the spotlight before audiences of thousands . . . . and simply steals the show!

Sue's incredible story is finally being told on the Pax TV network. The show, “Sue Thomas, F.B. Eye,” premiered on Sunday, October 13, 2002 at 9pm. The series tells the story of a real person, Sue Thomas, a deaf woman who went to work for the FBI. She initially analyzed fingerprints, but her incredibly ability to read lips with accuracy led to a new job. She was able to figure out what suspects were saying on surveillance tapes that were devoid of sound. Thomas is actually played by deaf actress Deanne Bray.

Golden Jesse and Actress Deanne BrayAccording to the show's producers, more than 28 million Americans are deaf or hard of hearing. Yet the hearing community knows little of what it's like not being able to hear. Hopefully, this show should help rectify that. In the case of Hearing Dog Levi (played by Golden Retriever Jesse), the dog does provide some comic relief in the show. But, don't get upset when they show some of the dangers associated with the job. In the two-hour premiere, Sue helps take down one of the world's most wanted men, getting Levi shot in the process. Since this is a TV show, and on the friendly Pax network to boot, it's a sure thing that a Golden, lying comatose in a hospital bed, is going to wake up and look lovingly at his mom. It is certainly unique that a show about a deaf person, even though who by all accounts is quite extraordinary, would get made, and that it would actually star a deaf person.

But, you can be certain that the real star of the show, at least in the early going, is Golden Hearing Dog, Levi. Anabuse victim, Levi failed training school, but Sue wanted him anyway. The trainer had warned that there were major concerns that Levi had the necessary capabilities. But, Sue indicated that the same things used to be said about her. Obviously, it was a match made in heaven.

Jesse, the 5-year-old guy who plays Levi, is not new to the show business world. He landed his first role on the Nickelodeon TV series “Animorphs” based on the popular Scholastic books by K.A. Applegate soon after his first birthday.

Born at a celebrated dog breeding establishment outside of Toronto, Jesse was discovered by Bryan Renfro, a professional animal trainer who also worked on Benji the Hunted, Gremlins, Goosebumps and Twilight Zone. Bryan trained this guy with a combination of love, reward, praise and lots of doggy toys. After a two-year hiatus in California, Jesse reunited with Renfro for the role of Levi on “Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye.”

Jesse resides with Renfro in Pickering, Ontario and will soon be joined by Golden brother Hamish. On his days off, Jesse enjoys running through corn fields, chasing sticks and spending quiet evenings at home.


Personal Observations on “Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye”
By Sue Thomas

Never before has there been a television series based on deafness—starring a deaf actor who won the role after auditioning alongside hearing and deaf actors. It is hard to imagine that so many years would pass before television audiences would be given a chance to have a deeper understanding, and to gain a deeper respect for the individuals who walk the path of silence.

My silence began at 18 months. One day I was sitting around watching cartoons with my family. The next day I began visiting an endless series of medical specialists who all brought forth the same proclamation of despair: I would never hear. I would never speak. I would never matter.

A full understanding of the consequences of this sentencing would become clearer to me as I entered maturity. But the initial sting pierced my innocent mind so deeply that I relive the emotions as I write today. Though I could not hear my parents' cries of anguish, I could see their tears. Their tears became my tears. Those tears welled into determination, and that determination has been poured out in every area of my life.

I learned to talk by feeling the vibrations of my speech therapist’s throat and watching her form her lips to make the words. Later, another teacher would work with my voice so I could sing and go “off key” with the best of them. At the age of seven, I became the youngest Ohio State Champion free-style skater... by skating in perfect synchronicity to music I couldn't hear. I studied classical piano and wanted to major in music in college, but doors shut when I just couldn't grasp the ear training courses that were required. I have served my country by using my lip reading skills to help the F.B.I. solve a number of high-level cases. Now, as a professional speaker, I reach thousands of people every year with a message of faith, hope, and love. But the most remarkable accomplishment that I prize more than any past, present, or future, is my role as a bridge between the hearing and the non-hearing worlds.eye2.jpg (21372 bytes)

I can sign. I can read lips. I can speak. I value and respect those who sign, those who read lips, and those who can hear and speak. One is not more remarkable than the other, and society as a whole is made complete when they all sit around the table and communicate.

The new PAX series, “Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye,” will be a remarkable forum for each of these worlds to communicate. The series will enable each to better understand the other. It means so much to me to have the deaf and hard of hearing portrayed as the gifted, transformational people they are. I feel so blessed that this story will be told on a network that prizes these virtues and will use its reach to instill hope in the hearts and minds of those who watch.

newsue1a.jpg (15204 bytes)This series is making history. It is the first to bring these worlds together on television in such a powerful and positive way. The series will make you laugh; it will make you cry; it will allow you to inhabit a world that is special and distinct.

With so much at stake, it became apparent to me that the actress who would portray my journey would make or break the series. I remember when I viewed the audition video of Deanne Bray for the first time . . . before she actually got the part. I knew in my heart that it had to be a deaf actress to play Sue Thomas, for only she would have the true knowledge of the isolation that deafness can bring to the everyday aspects of living in a hearing world. As I watched the video, I looked into her eyes, searching for the “separation” that lay within, and yet I was also looking for an inner strength. As I watched, tears of joy flowed down my cheeks. Deanne is everything that I could ever want in an actress to tell this story. She is such a gifted woman with eyes that sparkle and a smile that can warm your heart.

I will never forget the first day we met . . . at a gathering comprised of persons from the hearing, hard of hearing, and deaf communities. At one point, I was sitting around the table and the most remarkable revelation came over me. I was watching an extension of myself. Deanne is a bridge to all these worlds. She was reading my lips, signing to her husband (Deaf West actor Troy Kotsur), and speaking to the hearing people at the table. From the first meeting to the present, a deep and growing friendship has been born.

Another element of the show that moves me is the portrayal of my hearing dog, Levi. You couldn't tell my story without having Levi—he's my ears! The world is so accustomed to the seeing-eye dog for the blind, but little does society know about the special dogs for the deaf. We finally have a way to educate society about these special dogs who are trained especially for the sounds in life. Jesse, the golden retriever, who portrays Levi is everything I could ask for and more . . . take a good look into those eyes and you'll find the love, trust, and security of your best friend. I look forward to the day when I am no longer asked that common question, “What's a hearing dog—what do they do?”

As I contemplate all that has happened in my life, and all that is possible with the series, I hope and pray that our culture—which is so in need of positive inspiration—will find this show and be touched by it. When this happens, my most cherished ability, as a bridge, will converge powerfully with my life mission of glorifying G-d and providing hope for all of His people.

You can learn more about this special story in this article: Accessibility Advocate Explains How Deafness Opened Doors.


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