Philander
Portrait with Zachary Maxwell Stertz
Description: A young man stands on the ropes of a wrestling ring. He holds a red wrestling title belt as he looks out into a crowded arena.
Portrait with Zachary Maxwell Stertz
“I am funny and smart. What makes me me? My dad and my momma because they birthed me. Like I got they features, and I’m a ladies man. I think I’m gorgeous.
When I was first born, I was born prematurely. My mom thought I wasn’t going to make it. She kept praying, and I made it. I had to stay in the hospital for months.
I want to be able to tell my kids whatever they want to do, whatever they put mind to, if they want to do it, you could do it. You go chase your dreams. Because my momma allows me to chase my dreams. So that means that if my kids want to chase their dreams, I want them to chase their dreams - I want them to chase their dreams just like I chase mine. Be the best you could be.
My little brother - he is 10 years old. I’m 13. He looks up to me. And I know it. Just because he don’t say it, don’t mean he don’t look at me. Because he’s watching me. Trust me - I can tell. I had nights where I was sleeping, my little brother would be scared, and he would come down to the end with me. Why? Because he was scared. I just laid down, because he was scared. I had bad dreams, so I know how it is. But me - I don’t wake up when I have a bad dream. I just let the dream play out and just be scared in my head. That’s when I wake up like, “Man. Thank God that was just a dream.” I love my little brother. I love all my siblings. So when my brother yelling at me telling me to do the right thing, I know it’s not because he wanted to be mean or none of that. He want the best for me. He wants me to do the right thing. I love my family.
I think I’m going to be in WWE one day. And that’s what makes me me. I want to be like Roman Reigns. I want to fight against all odds. He had leukemia, and he beat it and came back. I want to be strong, and big, and buff, and just running over everything. They would put me up in two on one handicap matches, because that’s what Roman Reigns had to fight to get to the top. He was just a main event player his whole life. If I want that same treatment, I’m just going to have to fight against all odds. And I’m going to look back at these pictures and be like, “look what I’m doing now,” holding up that same championship with that same pose.
I’m trying to live my dreams until I die. I’m trying to be cool and just have a great life.
What do I think will improve my community? Respect and love. Respect people. Don’t disrespect people if you want people to help you out. School. Jobs. Be you and your life will be way better. Be yourself. Because copying is never an option. When you’re copying that just shows that you’re not a role model or a leader. That just shows that you’re a copy. I say be yourself, and eventually, you’ll achieve greatness.”
Milwaukee, 2019