WATCH: Deaf Man Hears ‘I Love You' From Family for the First Time

A Tampa father got to hear his family say "I love you" for the first time thanks to a groundbreaking surgery, NBC affiliate WFLA reported

D.C. Goutoufas, now 47, received a bionic ear surgery, restoring his hearing — and bringing tears from him and family members alike. Goutoufas, who has been deaf since he was 4, said had one goal with getting the surgery.

"He wants to hear his daughter’s voice,” said his wife Katie Goutoufas told WFLA.

Olivia, his 17-year-old daughter, said she loved him and also blew a whistle Goutoufas' father had given him before he passed away. He had never been able to hear it until now.

Doctors said it will take Goutoufas roughly two years to feel the full effects of the bionic ear, as he continues to work with doctors at the Tampa Bay Hearing and Balance Center, according to WFLA.

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