Aaron Best

There’s a funny thing about plans: Life often gets in the way.

For Aaron Best, when he graduated high school in May of 2017, life was already seemingly decided.

“I was going to enjoy my summer, head to school in August, hit on girls and get wild every weekend,” Aaron said. “My life was consumed with getting positive affirmations from my peers who I thought were cool. All I cared about was money, clothes and how other people perceived me.”

However, this internal battle that manifested itself externally eventually led to Aaron getting arrested only two months into the summer.

He was facing over $5,000 in repayments and 30 days in jail.

“By the grace of God, the judge looked at me, told me to pay a $350 fine and dropped the charge,” he said. “The company I stole from didn't ask for any punishment from the courts. Truly a miracle.”

He was at his lowest point, and felt as if he had nothing to hold onto.

“My family, although disappointed, pushed me to move past this time of my life and come into a greater version of myself,” he said. “My dad bought me the APEMAN ‘Rebirth’ shirt, and it was a turning point for me.”

Aaron had always enjoyed going to the gym, but he had never poured his time into striving to improve his whole being.

“I went through the motions, got in and got out, but never allowed true passion and rage to come from my time at the gym,” he added. “While I was still in the middle of a storm of lawsuits, disappointed family members and disappointment in myself, I decided to channel my rage in a new way. I used the gym as an outlet, a place to kill my old self, and watch my new self come to fruition.”

Every time he went to the gym, Aaron forced a full “rebirth” of himself, rising from the ashes of all that he had done, and his entire life began to slowly piece itself back together.

“I am now completely recovered from all of the legal troubles, pursuing a career in health and fitness, and I feel like the greatest version of myself,” Aaron said.