From teenage gang member to fashion model and loving dad, Sigfredo “Freddy” Santos’ has been on a steep learning curve for most of his life. Prison time, some tough life lessons, and a trusted gay mentor have made him the man he is today.
Interview and Photography: Ricardo Muniz
DNA: Your story is inspirational: from convicted felon to fitness model. Tell us how this happened.
Freddy Santos: Well, I ended up in prison due to growing up in a rough neighbourhood, the Soundview section, in the Bronx. During my early teenage years, gangbanging was a trend so I chose a colour and it led me down a dark path. I surrounded myself with people I thought would always have my back but this led to having a bullseye on my back.
As a teen I was targeted for something that my stepfather did to a group of gang members. My stepfather landed in prison for his actions but I was the one they hunted to kill. I ended up getting shot at on my way home one night with a bunch of friends. I was carrying a pistol due to the issues I was having at that time because I was afraid to get hurt or be killed. They began to fire at me, so I returned fire out of instinct and fear. One person ended up getting shot and hospitalised. I was 16 years old when all of this occurred.
During my incarceration, I realised my mistakes after speaking with many older males who gave me advice on how things could be different. So I started to focus on how to make myself stronger both mentally and physically. I began my fitness journey in prison because all I had was time and I worked hard to learn all I could. I was able to put my headphones on and get lost from the world and find my inner peace. I learned to steer clear of all the negativity and focus on learning how to be a better person. I read many educational books about the important things in life to help me put myself on the right path.
I have a gay mentor. He taught me that people are just people. They love and hurt and struggle just like you.
I suffered due to not being involved in my son’s life for the five years I was in prison, and it made me realise I need to be a better parent. My son was my daily motivation. I had to find myself to become a strong father figure to my son and prove to him I’m a good man with pure intentions.
After my release, I started to work immediately while continuing to focus on my diet and fitness, and I began to devote my life to being the best father I can be. I saved my money, put myself through trade school and found a job as a heating and air-conditioning technician.
In prison, are there racial issues?
Yes, there are racial issues. The Latinos stick together and the African-Americans stick together and then all others find their people and unite to form a coalition to protect each other. Phones are divided among gangs and usually, where people are from, like their cities and neighbourhoods. It’s very dangerous around holiday times when the phones have to be shared because so many people are demanding to speak with family and they end up breaking the unspoken rules by using another city’s or gang’s phone. I have seen people get stabbed, cut or brutally beaten over this.
In your opinion, does prison rehabilitate or does it just make life harder?
Prison is what you make of it. The choice is yours to find or build the best version of yourself. You can lead the horse to water but you can’t force the horse to drink. I saw my time in prison as my ally, and I spent my time studying, researching and learning how to become a better person. I applied everything I learned.
What was the first thing you did when you got out of jail?
I went straight to see my son! I hadn’t seen him in person in five years because I didn’t want him to see his father as a prisoner. I didn’t want him to ever step foot in a prison. It was difficult and my heart hurt every day but I knew I had to change if I wanted him to be different and to have a chance.
How did prison change your life?
Prison taught me and moulded me to become a strong man under pressure. It forced me to learn how to adapt to multiple dangerous situations with people who had multiple personalities every day. I learned how to communicate with aggressive people, non-aggressive people, timid people, and people with disabilities.
The greatest gift I received from prison was the understanding of how important it is to be a parent, and how important it is to find your happiness even if you have to do it alone.
How did you become a fitness model?
It’s a funny story. Soon after my release, I was attending an annual Puerto Rican festival in Spanish Harlem called the Loiza Festival with my son and my two siblings. My son decided he wanted ice cream but I ended up having to buy ice cream for about eight other kids as well. I was in the middle of all these hungry, greedy kids when a photographer from Chulo Underwear came up to me to ask if I had ever done any professional modelling.
The photographer said the Chulo board members noticed me with all the kids and thought I would represent the brand well. I told him I had never modelled and I also told him I had a record.
He told me, “Okay, thank you for sharing that but we’ve been watching how patient and caring you have been with all these kids so it looks like you’ve made some changes and it sounds like you have overcome a lot. Are you the same person you were then?”
I said no and he gave me his card and asked that I research both him and the brand before I made any decisions. I wanted to ask more questions but he told me to do homework. I remembered all the homework I did in prison so I went home and did my research and I reached back out.
Even though I’m short, I’ve walked in Brooklyn Fashion Week and New York Fashion Week. It’s been amazing.
From there, it took off. I’m a brand ambassador for them and even though I’m short, I’ve walked in Brooklyn Fashion Week and several shows in New York Fashion Week with Chulo, Elie Balleh and Willy Chavarria from Calvin Klein. It’s been amazing.
Have there been challenges, as a straight man, working within the LGBTQIA+ community?
I have barely had any — except dealing with people who keep asking me how I deal with the gay community!
I have a mentor who is gay. I met him after I got out of prison. He supervised me at different charity events for Chulo. He even did the paperwork and reports on my jobs and submitted them to my parole officer to show that I was doing what I had to do to stay out of trouble. He asked me not to mention his name because his other mentees may get jealous. [Laughs] He’s a very wise man and he’s been an amazing friend. We have grown an amazing friendship over the years.
When the brand did LGBTQIA+ charity events, he helped me overcome my nervousness. “People are just people,” he said. “They love and hurt and struggle just like you.” I learned that not every gay man will look at you like a piece of meat. He showed me that there can be friendship, no matter what you desire, as long as respect is involved.
His wisdom from his own experiences in life has given me the opportunity to learn from him just by asking simple questions or watching how he deals with different people and their attitudes. I’ve learned so much from him. Knowledge is everything to me. He has guided me in the right direction with complete professionalism and always discussed with me the pros and cons of all situations I’ve come across, never leaving any detail out. I trust him and truly appreciate his assistance and advice in guiding me on how to gain joint custody of my son, and to protect my rights as an equal parent to my son, which I am most grateful for.
Never judge people for things they can’t control like their height, abilities, sexuality, culture or their colour because we are all human and we are all equal.
As for working in the LGBTQIA+ community, at first I was unsure but I learned quickly that people are people. Never judge people for things they can’t control like their height, their abilities, their sexuality, their culture, or their colour because we are all human and we are all equal.
As far as being a father, sexuality has nothing to do with being a good father. Being a good father is about what you do for your kids and how hard you work to be better and do better.
Your journey in life so far has been slightly unconventional: teenage criminal, former prisoner, father, underwear model, fashion model… what advice would you give a young person who is beginning a life of crime, as you did?
My best advice is, don’t do things because you think it’s cool or because you think your friends will look up to you for the crimes you commit. Find your passion, something that will make you happy and successful with no risks because in the end, you alone are the person walking that path to success or that path to prison. Choose your route. Choose your path. Be you in all your glory.
MORE: Follow Sigfredo “Freddy” Santos on Instagram @papi_sant0s_
And Ricardo Muniz on Instagram @coquichuloimages and www.ricarto.com
