Aaron 'Will' Willing was only 19 when he was sentenced to 15-45 years in prison. After a reduced sentence, Willing is now a devout Christian and working in a field that he loves.
Willing attributes his upbringing as a major reason why today he is an International Sports Sciences certified fitness trainer at Fitness Together.
Growing up on the streets of Detroit, Willing was exposed to a harsh lifestyle at an early age.
"I wasn't raised in the church, I didn't know my dad and my mom did the best she could with what she had to work with," Willing said. "But it's hard for a single woman to raise a man in that environment, I don't care who you are."
Willing moved to neighboring Pontiac, Mich., and by age 15 he was homeless and said he was doing whatever it took to get by.
"Whether it was robbing, stealing or selling drugs, I was involved in whatever the streets had to offer," he said. "When I turned 18 it all caught up with me, and at 19 I was sentenced to time in the Michigan State Penitentiary."
Upon arriving in prison, Willing decided to change his ways and devote his time to studying the Bible and its teachings.
"I was still in my street clothes when they took me back to a cell. I had my head in my hands and said, 'God, if there is a God, I really need some help," Willing said. "And it wasn't to get saved--I just wanted that monkey off of my back. I believe he heard that prayer because all of a sudden I was being followed by something that I couldn't explain."
After four years in prison, Willing was offered a plea deal that would get him out in fewer than four more years. He accepted the deal and spent the remainder of his sentence teaching himself to be a personal trainer.
"I knew that I loved health and fitness and the challenge of it," Willing said. "I decided to teach myself human anatomy and physiology; I found books and learned them front to back."
In January 2010 Willing was released with two years probation that disallowed him from leaving Michigan. However, one year into his probation he was released, and he moved to Alabama to pursue his goal.
"I tried to break into the fitness industry with all of my certifications, and I got a bad taste in my mouth," Willing said. "All they wanted me to do is hustle and get memberships, so I let it go and got a job at an automotive shop."
Soon after, Willing found a job posting on Craigslist for a part-time position at Fitness Together, a personal trainer-oriented gym in Auburn.
"He honestly is great," said Vanessa Ocasio, owner of Fitness Together. "He is the best thing that happened to this business."
Willing has been employed at Fitness Together for the past six months and has taken a full-time position. His fellow employees said he is has been a great asset to their business.
"Working with Will is better than any other trainer I have ever worked with because he is always positive and high energy, which keeps me positive and high energy as well," said Kris Dixon, personal trainer at Fitness Together. "Clients love his consistency and his personality. You can easily see the productivity of the business increase because of him as well."
Willing said he wouldn't trade his past for anything. He said it has made him a stronger person through his faith and landed him in a profession that he loves, for which he is grateful.
"Life and working out work in the same way: you add resistance and you either hold the resistance, or let it crush you," Willing said. "That battle, whether in the weight room or in life, I love. I thrive off of it. I want it."
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