therapist suggested i go back to something i was passionate about, which was gymnastics. in my eyes, i was a failure. my only goal was to go to the olympics and i didn't. so to go back to that sport was to walk into humiliation. i went back to it. in rehab i started doing hand stands and pushups, just to see what it would feel like. and a fire -- i should say a spark ignited. >> reporter: no surprise, it felt pretty good and after rehab, joe caught a break and started performing on broadway. but the thing about heroin is that the possibility of a relapse was always waiting there for him in the wings. >> i managed to stay clean for a year and a half and i was on -- amazing my life changed. i was performing on broadway. couldn't believe it. as a heroin addict and here i am performing on broadway.