Ask anyone who has participated in the Ruck4HIT, and they will tell you that it’s arguably the most difficult race they have ever done.

But for Dr. Angelina (Angel) Cummings of Mashpee, she has faced far worse.

The first real challenge came 11 years ago, not long after she started experiencing lingering shoulder pain. An MRI revealed the culprit: a donut-sized brain tumor.

She underwent surgery in Boston to remove the tumor — it was benign — that was also pressing up against her spinal cord. “It wasn’t fun,” she said. “It was definitely tough, but I had one of the most amazing doctors and I bounced back from recovery pretty quickly.”

Fast forward to 2020 and at the height of the pandemic, she had open heart surgery to repair a bicuspid aortic valve. “It’s the most common congenital heart issue people are born with,” Angel said. “Some people don’t ever have to have surgery, but some people do.”

She realized she would have to after the simplest of tasks — like going to get the mail — left her winded. Her doctor replaced her valve with a titanium one.

She rehabbed on her own — “I’m pretty stubborn,” she admitted — walking every day after surgery. Six weeks out, she was running 5Ks.

Her last hurdle occurred in January of 2025 when her medical team discovered she had suffered a minor stroke after experiencing headaches, blurry vision, and low blood pressure. It was caused by an infection from medication that had interacted with the new valve in her heart.

Fast forward to today and Angel said, “I pretty much live life normally. I’ve really done a good job of bouncing back to live a very normal life.”

Angel, whose husband Chris has served in the Air National Guard for the past 27 years, has always been active her entire life. Combine that with her career — she is an Assistant Professor of Exercise Science at Dean College, specializing in exercise physiology and biomechanics — and athletics is a major part of who she is personally and professionally. “I’ve always been an athlete, and it’s always been something important for me to do in my life,” she said.

That’s why after volunteering at last year’s Ruck4HIT and driving for her husband’s team, Ruckin’ Seagulls in 2024, she knew she wanted to cross the race off her list once she got a clean bill of health.

She started training last November, announcing her journey on Facebook: “So I did a thing… a few months ago I bought a Ruck. …I’ve driven, organized, trained others, volunteered, and worked with the Care Team, all super important…but after open-heart surgery a few years back and a stroke last year, this challenge is DEEPLY personal for many reasons.”

She will be joining her husband, who is once again captaining the Ruckin’ Seagulls, all to give back to an organization that has helped them both. The pair have attended outings for military couples while Angel has bonded with other military spouses at spouses’ events, some of which she has facilitated. She has also participated in HIT’s Seeking the I Am, an 8-session program to help spouses better understand the challenges their partner is facing while empowering participants to rediscover their identity and purpose.

“I feel like I can reach out to Heroes In Transition if I ever need anything and I know they are going to find the resources that Chris or I may need,” Angel said. “We are so fortunate to be a part of the HIT family.”

As to all that she has endured — a brain tumor, open heart surgery, and a stroke — over the past decade, Angel puts it in perspective. “We all have challenges in life. We all should focus on what our goals are and what is going to help you really find peace and happiness, and reach for them,” she said. “I’ve had some health issues that have not been easy to go through, but I know at the same time it was just the season of my life. I’m not going to let any of those things stop me from living my life now. Other people shouldn’t let hard times stop them from living their life because there’s so many things to see and experience. You just have to keep going.”

To support this year’s Ruck4HIT, click this link.

The 11th Annual Ruck4HIT Presented by The Baldwin Group will kick off around 1 AM on Friday, April 24th and conclude roughly 36 hours later on April 25th. The race will conclude at the Cape Cod Fairgrounds in East Falmouth, on Saturday, April 25th, from 11 AM to 2 PM, with a family-friendly Finish Line Celebration — all are welcome to attend!