FALL RIVER – Local fans of “Dancing with the Stars” might recognize a familiar face this season, as one of the competitors has featured in BayCoast Bank advertisements.
Victoria Arlen, who has paired with pro dancer Val Chmerkovskiy, is one of the competitors on the ABC show. She also starred in several BayCoast Bank commercials beginning in 2015. The bank is based in Swansea.
“We are so proud of our affiliation with this amazing young woman,” said Nicholas Christ, president and CEO of the bank.
Arlen, most recently a sportscaster for ESPN, was diagnosed with two neurological conditions affecting her brain and spinal cord when she was 11 years old, according to a press release. She subsequently fell into a coma. After four years, she started regaining the ability to move and communicate, and later competed as a swimmer in the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, where she won gold and three silver medals, according to the release.
By 2016, she started walking again, and is now one of the competitors on season 25 of the show, which started on Sept. 18.
“It’s unimaginable to think about what she has overcome to get where she is today, dancing in front of millions of people, and we are thrilled for her,” Christ said.
