Yorkshire teen who taught herself to walk again reaches Miss Teen Top Model Girl UK 2021 final

A 16-year-old teenager from Yorkshire is enjoying success as a model after being wheelchair bound for over a year.

Holly Whaling, from Cleakheaton in Kirklees, taught herself to walk again – now she’s preparing to walk the catwalk in a national modelling competition.

She suffers from a condition called joint hypermobility, which causes pain and stiffness from having very flexible joints. A keen gymnast and dancer for years, she was suddenly stopped in her tracks by the syndrome which left her in a wheelchair for over a year.

Forced to give up her active lifestyle because of her condition, Holly started doing some amateur modelling from her wheelchair and playing with sitting down poses and found that she enjoyed it.

She had an operation in 2019 and was left fearing that she’d never walk again after it was unsuccessful.

However, following a second surgery on her legs, she started to become more mobile and managed to teach herself to walk again with the help of crutches.

It was at this point in her recovery that she discovered she had made it into the final of the Teen Top Model Girl UK 2021 modelling competition – something that strongly motivated her to not only master walking, but also to perfect her catwalk strut ahead of the final.

According to Holly, it provided all the motivation she needed to persevere with the slow and often frustrating process of learning to walk again.

Now, with just a few weeks to go, she’s finally able to walk unsupported – and says that no matter the outcome in the competition she feels like a winner for her achievements.

Speaking to the YEP, she said: “I couldn’t even stand up at the start of this year – I’ve come a long way.

“I’ve not even competed yet but I’m already so proud of myself – but I can’t wait to walk the catwalk, which is what I’m most excited for.”

Feature image -SWNS.