CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- When you think of a personal trainer, you probably think of someone who completes the toughest workouts and can easily overcome challenges.
- Sydney Cummings' fitness career was almost cut short when she was shot in the ankle
- She had to take several months off from making her daily videos
- Officers say the suspect in the case is a juvenile
One personal trainer in Charlotte is having to overcome her toughest challenge, and she's hoping it inspires her clients. Sydney Cummings started Royal Change personal training, and her YouTube channel with daily fitness videos has nearly 100,000 subscribers.
"I'm literally doing the whole workout with people, so they know even the trainer is struggling. I'm struggling too, but I can get through this because we're going to finish together," said Cummings.
Last year, her fitness career was almost cut short. On September 10, 2018, Cummings and her fiance left their studio around 9:30 p.m. when she says they saw a group of four men.
"We turned down to go to our car, and I heard someone whisper 'don't move', and it was so light I thought they were talking to each other, I didn't think they were talking to us," she said. "But I just happened to glance back and saw the flicker of a gun in the street light. They started shooting."
The couple took cover in their car, but Cummings was shot in the ankle and needed surgery.
She had to take several months off from making her daily videos and training while she recovered, but she says she's using her injury to show her clients nothing can hold them back.
"It just makes me even more passionate about helping people, motivating people to get through whatever life throws at you," Cummings said.
We reached out to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and they say the suspect in this case is a juvenile, so they did not provide his name or charges.