AI Restores a Lost Voice: Sarah’s Story of Resilience and Renewal

For many people living with motor neurone disease (MND), losing the ability to speak is one of the most devastating consequences of the condition. Words are more than just communication—they are identity, memory, and connection.

Sarah Ezekiel knows this deeply. At just 34—months after becoming a mother for the second time—she was diagnosed with MND. Within months, she lost both her voice and the use of her hands. Her children, Aviva and Eric, grew up hearing her only through a robotic, emotionless synthetic voice.

Now, 25 years later, a remarkable collaboration between artificial intelligence and assistive technology has given Sarah something she thought was forever lost: her own voice.

Eight Seconds That Changed Everything

When Bristol-based assistive technology company Smartbox asked Sarah for an hour of audio to recreate her voice, she and her family were faced with a heartbreaking reality: she had lost her speech back in 2000—long before smartphones and social media—meaning recordings were virtually non-existent.

The only usable material was a scratchy eight-second VHS clip from the 1990s—barely audible, muddled by background noise, but nonetheless her voice.

Against the odds, Smartbox, working with AI voice experts at ElevenLabs, was able to isolate and reconstruct Sarah’s voice from that tiny fragment. When she first heard it, she said: “After such a long time, I couldn’t really remember my voice. When I first heard it again, I felt like crying. It’s a kind of miracle.” 

Hear the difference between Sarah's old robotic voice and her new AI-generated one— the change really is incredible. Read more and listen to the change from the BBC here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1ejvxne7elo

Rebuilding Connection

The emotional impact on the family was profound. Aviva describes hearing her mother speak as “amazing,” and Eric says it’s brought them closer than ever.  Where once there was robotic monotone, now there is emotion, nuance, and personality. Eric shares that they can finally sense who she is, not just what she says.

A Journey Through Silence

Sarah’s story is also one of resilience in the face of profound loss. The early years following diagnosis were filled with isolation and dependency. Around five years in, eye-gaze technology finally opened a pathway: Sarah could communicate by directing her gaze and constructing speech via a computer-generated voice—much like the late Stephen Hawking.

That technology allowed her to rebuild her life—she became a volunteer for the MND Association, a patron of the charity Lifelites, and returned to her passion as an artist, creating original works using just her eyes.

Technology with Humanity

Sarah’s experience is a powerful reminder that technology, when applied with empathy, can restore not just function—but dignity. Dr Susan Oman, a specialist in AI and society, captures it perfectly: “If the voice doesn’t feel like you, then you don’t feel like you.” For Sarah, regaining her Cockney accent—and even her slight lisp—has been key to restoring her sense of self.

Having her voice back, she says with a smile, is "better than being a robot."

Why This Matters to Forgotten Patients

Sarah’s story goes beyond a single individual. It speaks to the heart of what it means to be heard—literally and metaphorically—when illness steals one's voice. AI-assisted solutions like this can restore emotional connection, personal identity, and the irreplaceable human element in communication.

Sarah’s voice is back. Her identity is whole again. And through her story, we glimpse the power of innovation grounded in compassion.

Call to action: Have you or your loved ones faced communication barriers due to MND or other disabilities? We’d love for you to share your story with our community. Your voice matters.