When Stephen Nedoroscik traded his leotard for a dance costume and tucked his Olympic bronze medal aside, who would’ve thought he’d make it all the way to the Dancing with the Stars finale? He didn’t win, sure, but just making it that far was an amazing accomplishment for someone who’d never danced before. And Stephen would be the first to admit that a lot of his success came from his dance partner, Rylee Arnold. He said, “She’s a good coach. She knows when it’s drill Sergeant Rylee time. Like yesterday, I wasn’t learning my step, and I was just like, ‘Oh man, I feel bad because I’m wasting Rylee’s time.’” But it wasn’t just about the dancing—it turned into something even more special over time.

Little by little, Stephen and Rylee became good friends during the season.   They joked about anything from burps to a sore knee from playing kickball to double dates with their partner. Both of them got along splendidly, and by the end of it, they became like a family. And Tess McCracken, Stephen’s girlfriend, was not shadowing around but being the supportive girlfriend and became one of Rylee’s closest friends too. In the early days, few fans had tried to link Stephen and Rylee as lovers, but it doesn’t stand anywhere as both are in committed relationships. And despite all the shrieks, the thing that Rylee had with Tess was true. Rylee even refers to her as “so special” in a recent update.

Stephen Nedoroscik changed Rylee Arnold’s life

Stephen Nedoroscik and Tess McCracken have been dating for several years after meeting in 2017, the summer before their first year in college. At that time, Tess was on the women’s gymnastics team and Stephen was on the men’s gymnastics team. Since then, they stood shoulder to shoulder. Through every step of Stephen’s life, Tess stood with him even in his most incredible accomplishment—winning two bronze medals in the Olympics 2024.

After a run on Dancing with the Stars, Stephen and his dance partner, Rylee Arnold, finished in fourth place on the show’s 33rd season. While they didn’t win, their journey was still a huge achievement. Tess shared a sweet moment on Instagram, posting a picture of her and Rylee together and writing, “This girl is really something special. Thank you for taking such good care of Stephen. You’re such a bright star, and I can’t wait to cheer you on for seasons to come.”

Rylee reshared the post with a heartfelt message of her own, saying, “Tess! I love you so much!! So glad we were brought into each other’s lives; you are so special.” But there is not only friendship between Tess and Rylee, but in fact, there is an even deeper bond between Rylee and Stephen. Rylee, who first gained recognition on the children’s television series Dancing with the Stars: Partnered with actor Miles Brown, was a runner-up in Juniors in 2018 and has herself stated how much Stephen helped her remember her love for dancing.

Rylee shared, “ This partnership is healing me in so many ways. It was the season that I kind of found the love for dance again and the love for this whole process because of Stephen and the things he did for me. Towards the end, I just felt it all the time. I am an emotional person, but truly, I just feel it, and I feel that love for Stephen. I’m just so grateful for him.” It is great to see that they develop their friendship while performing, and not only were they partners on the show but partners who can help each other to overcome the pain that was shown during the show and even set a double date.

Inside Stephen and Rylee’s unforgettable double date with Tess and Walker!

Earlier this month, Stephen Nedoroscik and his girlfriend Tess McCracken joined Rylee and her boyfriend, Walker Lyons, for a double date at the Wicked premiere in Los Angeles. Rylee gushed about how well they all got along. “Me, Stephen, Tess, and Walker go really well together. We had such a good time, and honestly, one of my favorite date nights,” she said. She even joked that Stephen gave his approval to her new boyfriend, a USC freshman tight end. But when  DWTS was about to come to an end, Rylee was already heartbroken.

The emotional bond between Stephen and Rylee grew deeper. In a heartfelt message posted on November 25, Rylee couldn’t hold back her tears as she recapitulated their journey. “Stephen, I’m already crying because I just have so much love for you in my heart. I am so, so, so proud of you. You have shown me every single week how hard you work and how inspiring you are,” she said. “You’ve taken this life and just made the most out of it.”

But at the same time, Stephen Nedoroscik also praised Rylee for shaping him, saying, “You have just been unbelievably positive. You have been so patient with me, and honestly, I don’t think I would have made it to the final.”  It seems their bond is unbreakable and will continue after DWTS also!