- Utah surgeon Dr. Steven Mobley offers free ear pinning for bullied children.
- Mobley, once bullied himself, founded the Mobley Foundation for Charitable Surgery in 2009.
- Ten-year-old Brihanna Rodriguez underwent surgery, boosting her confidence and ending bullying.
MILLCREEK — Ten-year-old Brihanna Rodriguez has struggled with being teased at school.
"(They say) that I have a deformed ear and it looks like an elf ear," she said. "Usually I have my hair down to cover it."
Her father, Luis Rodriguez, said it's been difficult to watch his daughter suffer.
"It gets kind of hard to a point when she comes home and she's sometimes in tears," he said.
When the Rodriguez family heard about the Mobley Foundation, they made the drive from Reno to give it a try.
"It was just a blessing for us," Luis said. "This is going to be a great opportunity for her to move on forward and kind of have a normal sense of life."
Dr. Steven Mobley, founder of the Mobley Foundation, understands the pain that comes with being teased about one's appearance.
"I've lived firsthand sort of the psychological trauma that can come from having big ears," he said. "I'd been bullied and teased during my junior high, high school and early college years."
After undergoing an ear pinning procedure himself, Mobley made it his mission to make that transformation possible for others. Since 2009, he has been offering free ear pinning to school-age children who have been bullied and otherwise could not afford it, through the Mobley Foundation for Charitable Surgery.
Ear pinning, also known as otoplasty, is a cosmetic procedure that reshapes the ears to sit closer to the head, making them less noticeable. The surgery typically involves incisions behind the ear, reshaping or removing cartilage and securing the new ear position with sutures.
"I'm not advocating for any child to get their ears changed. I believe that's a very personal decision that's made in the home between the child and parents," Mobley said. "But if the family decides to change the shape of the ear for whatever reason, reach out to someone like myself or with similar credentials to see what your options are."
Brihanna underwent a two-and-a-half-hour surgery, as Dr. Mobley and his team worked carefully to reconstruct her ear — and restore her confidence.
"We know if we can take those ears away as sort of a subject of bullying or teasing, that kid's going to have a better experience in school," Mobley said.
A few days later, it was time for the big reveal. Brihanna's bandages came off, and her new look was met with smiles and shock.
"She looks different," Luis said. "I mean, we see her every day, but it looks good. Looks very good."
Now, Brihanna no longer feels the need to cover her ears. She's excited to try out different hairstyles.
"Braids, ponytails," she said. "More confident to show that I can have my hair up instead of down."
For Dr. Mobley, moments like this make the work all worth it.
"It's almost magical when you think about it," he said. "I'm very thankful that I'm given the opportunity to do this operation for kids."
If you know a child who may qualify for this surgery, or would like to donate to the Mobley Foundation to help more kids gain confidence and fight bullying, visit its website.
