Darla Miles is an Emmy-winning reporter for WABC-TV in New York City. She has become known not only for her journalistic work but also for courageously sharing her personal struggles with fertility, loss, and weight management. Her story is a powerful testament to resilience, determination, and the importance of advocating for oneself.
Early Life and Career
Born on November 23, 1972, in Fort Worth, Texas, Darla Miles is a proud graduate of Atlanta's Spelman College, where she earned a Bachelor's degree in English with minors in Spanish. She furthered her studies in Spanish at the Instituto Internacional in Madrid, Spain, becoming fluent in both languages.
Miles began her journalism career in radio, working at WCLK Radio in Atlanta and later hosting a Spanish radio segment at CNN Radio Noticias. She then transitioned to television, working behind the scenes at CNN en Español before landing an on-air reporting job at WJBF in Augusta, Georgia. Before joining WABC-TV in 2009, she worked as a general assignment reporter and fill-in anchor for WFAA-TV in Dallas, Texas, and as a correspondent reporter for WTVD-TV in Raleigh.
Throughout her career, Miles has covered numerous high-profile stories, including international breaking news, terrorist attacks, and political interviews. She has also dedicated her time to mentoring young African American girls.
Fertility Struggles and Loss
Miles's journey to motherhood was fraught with challenges. After marrying her husband, Brent Jeffries, at 36, she experienced three miscarriages. The first miscarriage occurred early in their relationship due to a lapse in taking her arthritis medication, methotrexate, a drug also used to terminate ectopic pregnancies.
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The second miscarriage was particularly devastating, as it happened while she was broadcasting live on the air. "I was literally in the middle of a broadcast report and I could feel it passing," she says. The third miscarriage occurred in December 2013, after the couple had settled into a new home and were overjoyed with the pregnancy. "It was my 41st birthday, November 23, 2013. And my husband said, ‘Babe, what do you want for your birthday?’ I said, I don’t want anything. I’m so happy," she recalls. "I literally have my husband. We’re having a baby. We’re in a new home we built, which has a white picket fence."
Tragically, just weeks after the third miscarriage, her husband suffered a catastrophic stroke and passed away due to a pulmonary embolism. "He went into respiratory distress and his heart stopped. And because of his weakened state, they were not able to revive him," she says. Miles found herself grieving the loss of her husband and the inability to have his child.
Reigniting the Dream of Motherhood
Despite these profound losses, Miles never completely gave up on her dream of becoming a mother. In 2020, after undergoing lumbar fusion surgery, she felt a renewed desire to explore her options for having a child. "I knew I always wanted to have children or adopt. It’s complicated," she says. "I just wondered, how do I do this? Do I wait for a husband? Do I go to a sperm bank?"
Encouraged by her friends, she sought a second opinion on freezing her eggs, after being discouraged by a doctor at 41 who deemed her "too old." She found a supportive doctor at the New Hope Fertility Center in NYC, who encouraged her to try egg retrievals. "Now that I have been able to do retrievals and preserve some eggs, what bothers me is not trying. What bothers me more is just saying, ‘We can’t do it,'" she says. As of now, she has eggs in the bank and is still exploring her options for starting a family, including the possibility of surrogacy or adoption.
Weight Loss Journey
In addition to her fertility struggles, Miles has also been open about her weight loss journey. While specific details of her weight loss program are not publicly available, it is evident that she has made significant progress in achieving a healthier lifestyle.
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Inspired by stories like that of Brent and Darla Marriott, who lost significant weight through a very low-calorie diet plan using meal replacements and medications, Miles understood the importance of lifestyle changes. She emphasizes the need for a sustainable approach that includes a healthy diet and consistent exercise.
Miles's commitment to fitness is evident in her work as a trainer, where she helps clients achieve their goals by providing personalized guidance on nutrition and exercise. She understands the importance of addressing individual needs and limitations, and she empowers her clients to take control of their health.
Lessons and Advice
Through her experiences, Darla Miles has learned valuable lessons about resilience, self-advocacy, and the importance of embracing life's unexpected detours. She encourages young women to:
- Save for their family like they save for their 401K: "It needs to be the same conversation; you can't be uncomfortable talking about it. It's the same conversation of, how much do you make? Well, how many eggs do you have in reserve? You have to save for your kids like you save for your 401K."
- Challenge the traditional timeline of life: "I think sometimes young women think, oh my god, I need to stick to my plan, I need to accomplish all these things before I'm 30 - but where is the pressure really coming from?"
- Own their situation and don't let anyone tell them how to feel or think: "Own it, don't let anyone tell you how to feel, don't let anyone tell you how to think. If you want to start freezing your eggs at 17, freeze your eggs at 17. If you want to get pregnant at 57, get pregnant at 57."
- Embrace detours and never give up: "Your life plan isn't a roadmap. Undoubtedly, there is going to be something that is going to detour what you envision for yourself. Embrace it. Embrace it because you're stronger and better for it."
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