Page 73 - Flaunt 170 - The Phoenix Issue - Ever Anderson

victoria arlen YOU WANT A COMEBACK STORY? YOU WANT A COMEBACK STORY? YOU WANT A COMEBACK STORY? THEN PULL UP A CHAIR THEN PULL UP A CHAIR THEN PULL UP A CHAIR unable to speak, eat, walk, or move, the future of teenage Victoria Arlen in 2006 seemed bleak. Doctors said that recovery from her vegetative state, the result of two rare neurological conditions, was extremely unlikely. Four years went by, and in December of 2009, Arlen’s life seemed to turn around. She began re-learning how to speak, eat, and move, harnessing the motto “Face it. Embrace it. Defy It. Conquer it.” “It means we all have challenges and obstacles and we have to literally face it head on and embrace, and ultimately defy and conquer it,” Arlen explains. “For me, anything that I do, whether it’s work or personal or just trying to go after something, I think what that means is that you have to go for it.” Yet, after her triumph over that harrowing part of her life, Arlen was told she would remain confined to a wheelchair. Nat- urally, she didn’t let that stop her. Arlen eventually competed in the 2012 Paralympics in London, where she set a world record in swimming after winning one gold and three silver medals. After years of hardship and uncertainty, Arlen’s perseverance paid off. Soon after, she transitioned out of professional athleti- cism. In 2015, the then 21-year-old made her jump into media as the youngest television host to ever be hired at ESPN. Reporting on Sportscenter and X-Games coverage, Arlen has become a beacon of hope in America’s living rooms. “It’s something I never in a million years would have imagined or dreamed of,” she beams. “It’s been such a blessing to be able to be so entrenched in all of this at such a young age. I’m definitely one of the few who get these opportunities, and to go from such extreme challenges to such extreme victories is really beyond anything I could have asked for or imagined.” ESPN proved a powerful motivator, and Arlen was ready to conquer her next challenge: after nearly a decade in a wheel- chair, she began to walk again in 2016. Arlen, now back on her feet and in the media eye for the challenges she has faced and her accomplishments, took a chance on national television. She starred in season 25 of Dancing with the Stars, not only still adjusting to walking, but now digging her heels into dance. Her professional dance part- ner, the Ukrainian Val Chmerkovskiy, guided her through the motions, and the two garnered success when they entered the semi-finals in 2017. What seemed nearly impossible a decade ago became a reality: Arlen was living. In hopes of serving as a reminder to audiences that they can overcome their adversities, Arlen remains in the spotlight. Following the release of her memoir, Locked In: The Will to Survive and the Resolve to Live, Arlen realized the value in sharing her story. “Publishing and writing Locked In was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, if I’m being completely honest,” she shares. “There’s so much I had forgotten, and then to relive it over and over and over again. I was reliving the worst parts of my life while living the best parts of my life; learning there is power in sharing your story because there are people out there going through things”. She hopes to pass this message onto the next generation. This February, Arlen has started hosting season two of Ameri- can Ninja Warrior Jr., where she encounters the wild abilities of young participants overcoming lofty competitions. “I’m really excited for people to be inspired by these kids,” Arlen says, “Not just with their athleticism, but with their message and the inspirational words they have to give, I think every single day I cry. So often we don’t listen to kids or they don’t have a voice or a platform, and this show is that for them. These kids are really using that and using it to inspire the next generation.” As for the message Victoria Arlen hopes to impart onto others, she proudly confides, “There’s no such thing as a lost cause. Trust me, I’m literally living proof of that. I think when you’re going through something, big or small, just keep going.” Written by Nate Rynaski Photographed by Ibuki Styled by Soaree Cohen 67 PHOTOGRAPHER: IBUKI. STYLIST: SOAREE COHEN. HAIR: RANDI PETERSEN USING ALTERNA AT ART DEPARTMENT. MAKEUP: AGOSTINA USING TARTE COSMETICS AT EXCLUSIVE ARTISTS.