Victoria Arlen’s life was a picture of health and vitality.
As a child, she was the epitome of wellness, actively participating in sports, dancing, and swimming.
But at the age of 11, her world turned upside down.
What followed was a drastic and alarming decline in her health.
Arlen found herself in a state that doctors initially believed was a vegetative paralysis, a condition that lasted four years.
During this time, Arlen was actually conscious for significant periods.
She was trapped within her own body, fully aware of her surroundings but unable to communicate, a silent observer to her own life.
“I was 11 when I started getting sick. I was just confused,” Arlen recounted to TODAY.
“I was just asking why I can’t get out of bed. Why aren’t my legs moving.”
The onset was swift and terrifying; numbness in her feet quickly escalated to a complete loss of mobility and cognitive function.
“My nerves were dying,” she shared with PEOPLE. “I literally watched as my body shut down.”
With no clear diagnosis from the doctors, Arlen’s family prepared for long-term care at home, converting their living space to accommodate her needs.
It was later discovered that she was suffering from transverse myelitis and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, rare autoimmune disorders causing inflammation in the brain and spine.
Arlen’s mother, Jacquelyn, never lost hope in her daughter’s full recovery, a sentiment that was a beacon of light in their darkest times.
Arlen herself has little recollection of the two years following her initial symptoms.
In 2008, she began to regain cognitive function, but her physical challenges continued with frequent seizures and complete paralysis at times.
She could hear everything – the doctors, her family – but was unable to signal her awareness.
“I was really scared. I knew if I just stopped fighting, I wouldn’t be in pain or suffering anymore — but dying was the easy way out,” Arlen revealed.
She chose to use this time to strengthen her mind, creating screenplays in her head, praying, and visualizing a future of health and vitality.
This positive mindset was her armor against the trials she faced.
Arlen’s perseverance paid off.
At 15, she experienced a breakthrough – regaining control of her eyes.
“From there it was miracle after miracle,” she recalls.
Gradually, she felt sensations returning to the upper part of her body.
Her doctor, Dr. Michael Levy, noted that her young age and prior good health played a significant role in her recovery.
Despite being confined to a wheelchair, Arlen found solace and freedom in swimming, aided by her brothers.
The pool became her sanctuary, a place where she felt liberated from her physical constraints.
Her journey of resilience didn’t stop there.
She went on to compete in the 2012 Paralympic games in London, winning a gold medal.
The challenges she faced, including being bullied in high school for her wheelchair, only fueled her determination to walk again.
Arlen’s story didn’t just end with her recovery.
She became an anchor for ESPN, competed on Dancing With The Stars, and continued to inspire.
“I want the other Victorias out there, the people that are suffering or going through something, to keep fighting.
I’d never choose what happened to me, but I would never change it. It’s my tragic, beautiful journey,” she says.
Watch this incredible story in the video below!
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