Who Is Victoria Arlen? How a Paralympic Champion Became a Top College Football Host

Victoria Arlen, the prolific broadcasting figure has a remarkable past hinged on her story. The 29-year-old has currently been the face of ESPN, hosting numerous shows for the leading channel. But her roots are even more weighty than this. She is a classic swimmer who clinched gold in the Para Olympic in London 2012 before taking the leap of faith with a high-profile journalistic career.

Let’s take a sneak peek at that awe-inspiring transition journey of an athlete turned reporter.

Victoria Arlen’s roller coaster ride from the pool to the TV screen: Revisited

On one tragic morning in 2006, a young Victoria woke up to the awful reality of her legs not supporting her properly. For a few weeks, she became paralyzed, losing all strength to stand up. After a lot of back and forth of multiple medical consultations, it turned out that the culprit was a rare viral disease Transverse Myelitis. The situation took a drastic turn when she fell into a vegetative state, fighting for her mere survival. Despite a slim hope, she won over the disease following a two-year battle.

Not only that, but also the Phoenix didn’t let her physical restrictions limit her passion for sports. It led her to join sled hockey and scored a meteoric rise in a jiffy. But that was not her destiny. The young miss reverted to the pool with the help of a life vest. Her regular rigorous training of 12-13 years paid off big time at London Paralympics where she bagged three silver and a gold at a time. To honor that incredible feat of a physically challenged athlete, New Hampshire Governor John Lynch declares Sept 12 as Victoria Arlen Day. In 2013, her rousing career came to an abrupt halt with a controversial ban by IPC.

Instead of taking it much further, Arlen shifted her focus to a lucrative broadcast role of her passion. She quickly joined and started extensively covering college football for the leading media houses like SportsCenter, ESPNW, and the X Games.

The down-low truth behind getting an offer of an alternative career was partly because of an off-the-board para Olympic performance and the depth of knowledge and attachment she holds toward the sport. But the immediate reason was the ESPN higher-ups spotted her seamlessly covering the Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles.

While the champion keeps shining through the TV screen with shrewd eyes for all the sporty details, her recent health update made it nothing else than flogging a dead horse.

Recently, the media mogul underwent critical surgery and spent over a week in the hospital bed for additional complications.

The ESPN host hands a scary health update

While Arlen didn’t spill the exact nature of the surgery and the other issues, he let his fans breathe with an emotional video depicting the whole situation on IG. The sensational TV star wrote in the caption, “This week was a JOURNEY… If you’re going through it… Keep Going ”

In a follow-up update, Arlen wrote: “Thank you to the amazing nurses, docs, surgeons, and my family, who took amazing care of me and helped me get back on my feet. And thank you everyone for your messages and prayers … it means more than you know.”

Given that the actor- model-broadcaster lady is now back on ESPN, she needs some time to jump into full swing on her work commitments.

What’s your take on the awe-inspiring journey of Victory Arlen through the field to the TV screen? Let us know in the comments