Andrew Abbey chatted with #Powerjournalist Markos Papadatos about competing in this year’s Mister USA pageant, which will be held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada in mid-July. He is a lifeguard, and he coaches track and field. His goal is to someday become a firefighter in California.
Mister USA
Mister USA is an American beauty pageant, which is held annually, and the winner goes on to represent the United States in the Mister Universe competition. It is a celebration of culture, diversity, beauty, intelligence and empowerment.
It believes in the power of young leaders to make a difference in the world. It is not solely about outer beauty; it recognizes the inner beauty and intelligence of their contestants.
On competing for Mister USA, he exclaimed, “I am super excited. People can expect me to just be myself and to have fun in the competition. I want to try something new and put myself out there. I want to get comfortable being uncomfortable.”
Repping Wyoming
While he doesn’t have any ties to Wyoming yet, Andrew is a huge fan of the show “Yellowstone” and he is now inspired to visit Wyoming to explore the culture behind it. “We all share the same values and that cowboy culture,” he admitted. “I was just at Stagecoach where I met some cool people from Wyoming… so that’s going to be a full circle moment.”
“I’m excited to see what Wyoming is all about,” he added.
Advocacy for Mister USA
In this year’s Mister USA competition, Andrew wants to raise awareness of first responders (and the integral work they do), especially being a first responder himself. “My parents were first responders, and they always left everything on the table,” he said.
“So, I think my message to the people itself is to just go out there, push through your limits, and surprise yourself because life is always going to be a roller coaster. I think it’s important to buckle up and be prepared for it,” he elaborated.
Andrew on why he should win Mister USA
When asked why he should win Mister USA, he responded, “I feel I am a good candidate to win because I am very empathetic… I have a lot of heart, and I would love the opportunity to travel and get to meet new people and spread positive awareness.”
“I have a lot of stories and a lot of history. I’m excited to meet the other contestants, too, and see their shared values,” he added.
Daily motivations
Regarding his daily motivations, he shared, “Honestly, I’m a big believer in self-growth. So, would say that my biggest advocate and believer is myself. I come from a big family.”
“I look up to my parents. They’ve been married for 31 years, so I like relationships and I look up to them,” he noted. “My parents always had my back. I have their backs and I hope the people of Wyoming and Mister USA will have my back as well, and get to see that side of me.”
Plans for the future
On his future plans, he remarked, “I have a lot of goals I want to accomplish. First and foremost, career-wise, I am trying to become a fireman. Right now, I just got accepted to the Fire Academy. I’m stoked that in this fall time, I’m going to go through the academy, and I will take things day by day.”
“I want to push my body and eventually do an Ironman,” he said. “I am always staying fit, but at the same time, l want to start reading more, and become more intellectual and smarter. I want to be known as more than just a good-looking lifeguard from California Beach.”
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Andrew revealed, “In Progress.”
“It’s something that’s always moving forward. I’ve definitely dealt with my hard downfalls in the past. I’ve celebrated my victories, and I think Mister USA is going to push that forward. Things are in progress, and I am just working more on myself because I’m not perfect.”
“I am just working towards being a better person,” he acknowledged.
Success
Regarding his definition of success, Andrew said, “Success means not giving up. When I was going through college and was an athlete, I had to work hard to get a scholarship. Nothing was handed down to me. That competitive nature has molded me… I am successful in the way I carry myself with my running, getting a scholarship, and earning a Bachelor’s degree.”
“The best part of success is knowing that success comes with failure,” he noted. “So, I’m just excited to move on to that next step and just learn, absorb, and be a sponge.”
Closing thoughts on Mister USA
Andrew concluded, “I hope in this year’s Mister USA, I am able to put smiles on people’s faces, have fun, and give them some laughter. This way, they can see another side of me. It’s going to be fun and I cannot wait for Las Vegas.”
To learn more about Andrew Abbey, follow him on Instagram.
