從植物人到翩翩起舞！維多莉亞•阿倫的奇蹟故事

24歲的維多莉亞·阿倫（Victoria Arlen）是ESPN體育台有史以來最年輕的主持人，她曾贏得2012年特奧會女子100米自由泳金牌，隨後還參加《與星共舞》選秀，於2017年進入半決賽。年紀輕輕，看似事業平步青雲的她，其實當過4年植物人，她的故事鼓舞了無數的青年，也為那些家中有植物人病人的家屬帶來希望。
綜合外媒報導，維多莉亞是三胞胎之一，還有兩個同胞兄弟。11歲那年她罹患了兩種罕見的自身免疫性疾病『橫貫性脊髓炎』和『急性播散性腦脊髓炎』，突然間她無法走路或說話，每天都有多次癲癇發作，她被困在自己的身體內，即使她意識完全清楚但卻無法溝通。
當時醫生告訴她的家人，她的餘生都將是植物人。躺在床上的維多莉亞聽到了他們對話，但她卻無法做出任何反應。她有很多時間去想是要放棄還是抗爭，而她選擇了後者。
她在給《ELLE》雜誌的專文中寫道：我列了一個重要事項清單，花了很多時間爲我獲得自由、重新上路的那一刻做準備。我向上帝許諾說，『如果您給我第二次機會，我會發聲去改變世界，而且我一刻也不會浪費寶貴的時間』。

2009年12月，在與母親有了目光接觸後，母親知道維多莉亞是有意識的，接著她便慢慢開始康復。談到經歷過的磨難，維多莉亞說，「現在對我來說最重要的事情就是繼續成為希望的燈塔，告訴人們，沒有什麼事是『不可能』。」面對人生困苦，她的態度是：「面對它，擁抱它，不順從它，征服它。（Face It, Embrace It, Defy It, Conquer It.）」同時，「相信神。（Trust God）」。2018年，她出了一本名為「鎖定」（Locked In）自傳。

 

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On this day April 29, 2006 my life was forever changed. I never knew how precious life was until I was perfectly fine one day and in a blink of an eye I was laying in a hospital bed unable to walk, talk, eat, move and fighting for my life. For four years unbeknownst to my loved ones I was trapped in a vegetative state literally “locked in” my own body. Constantly hearing doctors tell my family that it was highly unlikely that I would survive and if I did survive I’d be a vegetable the rest of my life and that they should “move on”. I sometimes still think about that honestly and how my family refused to throw their hands up and give up on me. What transpired 4 years later is nothing short of a miracle and to this day still baffles doctors around the world. Through a lot of hard work, hope, faith and incredible love and support from my family and friends. Little by little I came back to life and not only survived but thrived. Honestly, it’s still surreal to think about the last 13 years. At times it feels like yesterday and other times it feels like a lifetime ago. This day honestly is never easy and comes with it’s fair share of tears… except the difference is this year I’m filled with tears of joy and immense gratitude for not only getting a second chance but for where this second chance has taken me and given me. I would not choose this journey but I would not change this journey. All those years laying in the hospital uncertain if I’d make it another day I never In a million years imagined any of this. While most would tend to dwell on the pain I have seen over and over again the purpose and blessings beyond belief that have transpired since that fateful day 13 years ago. Thank you to everyone who has supported me and loved me throughout all of this. I couldn’t do it without you. Thank you for the calls and texts today especially. I love you all so dearly. So, today on my 13 Year Life Day I choose to celebrate all that has happened and rejoice in the beauty of each trial and tribulation. And if you’re going through something keep going, keep fighting….the pain is worth it. Trust me. 💙 xoxo Victoria

Victoria Arlen（@arlenv1）分享的貼文 於 PDT 2019 年 4月 月 29 日 上午 10:11 張貼

維多莉亞鼓勵人們，要將心中訂定的目標於現實生活中實現、不要害怕改變現狀及每天都要學習感恩「這樣才能專注於正確的事，並以此為動力」。她表示因為己身的經歷讓她意識到生命的短暫，因此她決定每天都要活的有意義，也以此鼓勵人們擁抱生活、珍愛生命。（吳雯淇/綜合外電報導）