Delos Santos: Your mind is a byproduct of your body

As a high school student, Audry “Dre” Delos Santos was shy and struggled with his studies. His performance in sports, though, made him a well-known student athlete, who thrived in living a healthy lifestyle, which he remains committed to maintaining.

A 2008 graduate of Mt. Carmel School, Delos Santos, 25, has taken his life-long passion to the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Kinesiology and Rehabilitation. Upon receiving his degree, Delos Santos went on to be a certified personal trainer, strength coach, and even runs his own fitness business last year in Honolulu, Hawaii, DS Pro Fitness.

“It was the best decision I made,” he said. Through the process of me trying to become a better athlete, I developed an immense affinity for training and coaching. It was right then and there I knew what I wanted to do.”

Delos Santos also volunteered his time to teach physical education to youth in Hawaii for two years and is a contributing writer for the CNMI’s TAGA Sports magazine, where he shares tips and strategies to lead a health life.

A number of people do not realize how much more productive they can be if health was their No. 1 priority, according to Delos Santos. “Your mind is a byproduct of your body.”

Delos Santos attributed his success to his parents, Nenette Delos Santos and Eduardo Olarte, and his alma mater, MCS.

“I went to Mount Carmel School for all 12 years. From an academic standpoint, I wasn’t a very good student, so I was fortunate to have great teachers and classmates at Mount Carmel. They really set the bar high.”

In the future, Delos Santos hopes to come back to the island to educate residents about the importance of living an active lifestyle.

When asked about his opinion on the state of health in the Commonwealth, he responded, “The tides have changed and I see we’re heading in the right direction. However, I do feel there is still a lack of proper instruction, accountability, and consistency with regards to health among the youth in the CNMI…”

He added, “My former mentor once told me that people don’t care how much you know until they know much you care. Leading by example and showing that you truly care can make the biggest difference not just with the youth, but the entire CNMI community.”