267. Victoria Arlen, ESPN Host, Paralympic Gold Medalist & Speaker

Victoria Arlen is no stranger to hurdles. At age 11, the now-ESPN host developed two rare conditions known as transverse myelitis and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. As a result, she quickly lost the ability to walk, speak, eat, and move. She slipped into a vegetative state, and her parents were told numerous times that they should “let go” and that their daughter would never be the same.

Fast forward four years, and Victoria beat all odds to make a miraculous recovery. She returned to life, albeit in a wheelchair, and soon found success as an athlete scoring a gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle at the 2012 London Paralympic games, as well as her dream job at ESPN — reporting for the X Games and Special Olympics.

In today’s episode, she talks about the biggest miracle of all: defying the odds yet again and after spending nearly a decade in a wheelchair paralyzed from the waist down, to learn how to walk — and ultimately dance and run. She talks about her stint on Dancing With The Stars, the non-profit she started with her mother to help others get a second chance at life, and how she stayed optimistic even in her darkest days.