WORCESTER, Mass. - 43-year-old Sean Cummings was addicted to both drugs and alcohol for more than 25 years. He pointed to his upbringing as being 'different,' saying he faced a lot of verbal abuse which forced him to be shy.

Cummings would begin smoking marijuana in his teenage years. He also began drinking soon after. 

"It became a priority. It formed over the years," Cummings said. "It took a hold on me. My priorities were screwed."

Cummings said in his mid-20s, he was using drugs and alcohol on a daily basis, which eventual led to him becoming homeless. He says there were two periods in his life he spent time living on the street.

"I was a very different boy back in those days," he said. "I still have issues standing up for myself and things like that. So a lot of that took a hold. I'm a very emotional guy."

In 2023, Cummings checked himself into a rehabilitation program in an effort to get himself clean. After two-plus decades of substance use, he says it was one of the most difficult things he had to do. But he says working out was what helped him turn the page.

"When I first got in there, I started working out with whatever I could," Cummings said. "I had that drive."

Cummings would go on to work other jobs after leaving the program, but says nothing really stuck until he found Planet Fitness. Cummings would become a regular at a Worcester location, where he says he became friendly with staff as well as the gym's patrons.

It was then he noticed a sign on one of the gym's windows asking for help, which he inquired about. Getting the job, he was then able to mix his passion of working out and earning a living. Something he says saved his life.

"The timing was perfect. I guess you could call it fate," he said. "I ran with it. Big time."

Since January of 2025, Cummings has worked a number of positions within the gym, working his way up to his current role of assistant manager. He says it became more than just a job.

"I leave my house just to come back to another house. That's how I feel," Cummings said. "The connection I've gained with a lot of the community here, a lot of them know my story. Everyone is proud of me for what I've done."

Cummings' advice for those who may find themselves or a loved one in a similar position:

"Stay positive. Don't stray away from the path of recovery," he said. "Whatever it takes to do what you have to do, it is possible."