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You know that feeling when your leg falls asleep and you can't really feel it or move it? Well, that's what my legs feel like all the time, so being fluid and graceful has been difficult.
Victoria Arlen
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When I was 11 years old, I got very sick and slipped into a vegetative state for four years and was pretty much written off as a lost cause.
Victoria Arlen
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I'm an athlete, I'm a competitor, so whenever you have a loss, you feel it in your heart.
Victoria Arlen
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I made it to the top five on 'Dancing with the Stars.' To me, that was just a tremendous accomplishment.
Victoria Arlen
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It's actually more work for me to not smile than to smile.
Victoria Arlen
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I was bullied in high school. I would go through the hallways and be pointed at and laughed at because I was the new kid in a wheelchair.
Victoria Arlen
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Each of us can provide a positive example to others in our lives, and that's powerful. When I visit those with difficult health conditions, I do my best to provide them with positive motivation because I know I was so inspired by people who showed support for me.
Victoria Arlen
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I have these big brown eyes, so ever since I was a baby, you could tell what I was feeling and thinking based on my eyes.
Victoria Arlen
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ESPN truly is a game changer and has the ability to unite the world through sports, which is something I'm incredibly passionate about.
Victoria Arlen
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I love to swim, and what I have been able to do - give people hope.
Victoria Arlen
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'Good Life' was my gold-medal song and is what I sing when I need to get focused and keep calm. It also just makes me super happy, and I love jamming out.
Victoria Arlen
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It's important to believe in yourself and the beauty of your dreams and to not let anyone tell you different.
Victoria Arlen
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The traditional tango is really staccato, but with the Argentine tango, you have to be really sexy and saucy.
Victoria Arlen
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When you have a spinal or brain injury, or any kind of devastating illness, you kind of fall through the cracks in a sense. Your world implodes, and no one is really there to help pick up the pieces.
Victoria Arlen
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Heroes in real life don't wear masks and capes. Sometimes they don't stand out at all. But real heroes can save a life - or many lives - just by answering the call in their heart.
Victoria Arlen
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Winning gold and three silver medals at the Paralympic games is something I'll never forget, but I knew deep down there was still more work to do. I had to continue to redefine what was possible and get back everything that was taken away from me.
Victoria Arlen
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I grew up a swimmer. I didn't think I could swim without the use of my legs.
Victoria Arlen
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I love to smile, even through pain.
Victoria Arlen
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I was told that I would be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life.
Victoria Arlen
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Swimming is still very much a part of me.
Victoria Arlen
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If mornings aren't your thing right now, try making yourself do a happy dance after you get out of bed. It helps me!
Victoria Arlen
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There's nothing greater than just having people that pick you up when you get knocked down.
Victoria Arlen
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'Thank you' is never enough for me to say to my family.
Victoria Arlen
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The climb might be tough and challenging,but the view is worth it. There is a purpose for that pain; you just can't always see it right away.
Victoria Arlen
