Philip Fusco talks about the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, environmental health, and Mister USA

Philip Fusco. Photo Courtesy of Philip Fusco.

Philip Fusco is a personal trainer, life coach, fashion model, and social influencer. He chatted about his latest endeavors.

The late football player and coach Paul “Bear” Bryant once said: “If you believe in yourself and have dedication and pride — and never quit, you’ll be a winner. The price of victory is high but so are the rewards.” This quote applies to Philip Fusco.

Most recently, Fusco made the Top 20 in the 2024 Mister USA competition, which is a celebration of culture, diversity, beauty, intelligence, and empowerment. It is not solely about outer beauty; it recognizes the inner beauty and intelligence of their contestants.

The finals will be held on August 31st at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles in Hollywood.

Fusco is representing the state of New Hampshire, and presently, he is in the lead spot in the fan voted portion of the competition.

Fusco on being in the Top 20 finalists of Mister USA

On being in the Top 20, Fusco said, “It feels amazing to be in the Top 20. I am very humbled, and I am really happy that I was picked to take this journey with the rest of the men.”

“First and foremost, I am looking forward to the beautiful weather of Los Angeles,” he said about his upcoming trip. “California is known to have such nice weather, and I love the coastline over there. I am looking forward to the Mister USA competition.”

“I want to use my platform and Mister USA’s platform to really expand what I currently do with my charities, and with all my life coaching and my advocacy for environmental health, so I am excited to take that journey,” Fusco acknowledged.

Philip Fusco on environmental and soil health

Fusco is a fan of the environmental documentaries “Kiss the Ground” and “Common Ground,” both of which were directed by Josh and Rebecca Tickell.

“They are both amazing documentaries on the environment and the soil,” Fusco said. “These films really enhanced my love for the environment, and just how important the soil and the environment really are. People should support the Kiss the Ground movement.”

“Without the soil, there is no humanity. If the soil dies, we die. It is very important to focus on climate change not just for us but our children, our children’s children, and the subsequent generations,” he explained.

“We need to optimize the health of our environment, especially the soil,” he underscored.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Fusco addressed that the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is of utmost importance to him, and so is its mission, which is to “to advance cures and prevention for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment.”

“Should I win Mister USA, I will donate a portion of that to my charity, the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital,” Fusco said.

“I have been donating to them for the last five years on a monthly basis. I think they are an incredible charity, and I find it remarkable that they don’t charge the families a single penny for anything: lodging or treatment, and that is the most amazing thing,” he expressed.

“Our children are the future, and it is just so upsetting when children that are close to you are that sick,” he acknowledged. “St. Jude takes on charitable work, and they just bring it to the next level.”

Stage of his life

Regarding the title of the current chapter of his life, Fusco said, “Work in Progress.” “I am working to achieve my next level,” he said.

“I am really focusing on trying to do a lot with everything,” he added.

Favorite motto to live by

His favorite motto to live by is to “Never give up.”

“That is what I tell my clients, family and my friends,” he said. “Just keep striving… You may feel like you are at the end, but if you make that one extra push, you might just discover a whole new abundance. Just don’t quit; keep going until you are happy.”

Olympic event of choice

If he were to do any Olympic event, it would be “weightlifting.”

“I love working out, especially weightlifting, because it is good for you physically and mentally,” Fusco said.

Success

Regarding his definition of success, he said, “Success is something I would define within myself. I don’t view it as a monetary or financial thing.”

“In my opinion, success is how you feel on the inside,” he admitted. “Success is when you make goals for yourself, and you get close to achieving those goals.”

“Success is an internal feeling, and how things are perceived within yourself about what you have done. That’s how I perceive success,” he added.

Message for his fans and supporters

For his fans and supporters, Fusco said, “Thank you for being with me this whole time. Thank you for continuing to be with me. I have lots of really cool projects coming up in the future, so I hope you stick around. Thank you to everyone, I am very grateful.”

For more information on Philip Fusco, follow him on Instagram.