Jerry Maese

Okay. So I ended up leaving Burges halfway through junior year and graduated from Hanks. Although I did not officially graduate from Burges, I always hung out with my Burges friends and those are the people I remember most since I grew up with them since Hawkins, Ross and 2 years @ Burges.

For me, as soon as graduation came through, everyone I had ever known disappeared. I never heard or saw anyone since about 3 mos afterwards.

Got married really young at the age of 19 to Margarita Saucedo who graduated from Ysleta High School in 1990. 9 days later, I turned 20 and a month after that my oldest son was born. Worked full time @ Walmart at the time and was going to UTEP.

Shortly after my second son was born, I joined the the Army and was in Ft Benning, GA. I thought I'd travel the world, but stayed @ Ft Benning the entire time. Went to CSU full time even while in the military. Margie was also working full time and attending CSU full time. Nick was born a year before I left the military. The amazing part was we stayed 3 weeks after the day I was out of the military so that my wife and I could both graduate on the same day from college. Full time work, school, military life, raising 3 kids and graduating on the same day: you could never pay me enough to do it again.

Went back to EP so that the kids could spend time with family. Couldn't find a job. 9 months after we got back to EP, got seperated. 2 months later I moved to Houston. She was married to #2 five months after I moved.

Intended to go to medical school but adjusting to life outside of military, divorced, and in a new city by myself so I kept putting it off until I felt life was more stabilized. Started personal training part time to make ends meat. Loved it and became more successful at it. Realized that I am not capable of working for someone else and changed my views toward personal training as entrepreneurial. Love keeping people healthy instead of helping them when already sick.

Married again in 2000. Marriage ended 7 months later. (17 months together) Some women really do change once married.

Lived in Miami from 2003 to 2005. First year was only there on weekends from Houston. Beauty of bartering for services when you are your own boss; term pass on airlines for personal training. Moved to Miami full time after that. Hated the people once I lived there full time but it was a great experience working there. Trianed with Jon Secada a few times. That was it. No one major. Collaborated with trainers there. Yuri took interest in my training methods and would ask questions. We exchanged ideas that we both implemented with our clients. Six months later one of his clients was plastered all over magazines as having the hottest body with pics in a speedo (Remember the pics of Ricky Martin a couple of years ago?). So thats my 2 degrees of separation to fame.

Returned to EP for 9 mos to spend time with kids. Introduced Zumba to EP. Within a month I was up to 20 classes a week. Within 3 months, I dropped from 185 lbs to 150. Looked sickly so dropped some classes and went independent.

Moved back to Houston. Have done great things with Zumba. Trained a diverse group of instructors that co-teach with me to form Tropa Zumba totaling 7 instructors from backgrounds as Phillipenes, Cambodia, Columbia, Venezuela, and India. Amazing friends. They have become like family. Together we do work for the school district, Dr Oz's non-profit organization HealthCorps (remember him from Oprah), Houston Mayor's Wellness Council, have made TV appearances and have been voted the number 1 alternative workout in Houston on City Search. Still room to grow and things to get better.

My oldest son lives with me. He is taking some college classes and aspires to be a chef. That works for me since I hate cooking. He is now 18 and I fear that he is almost the age that I was when he was conceived. Still too young and hot to be a grandfather so I make sure that condoms are in supply. LOL.

Not currently seeing anyone. Just ended a relationship of 4 years. Not really in any hurry to get into another one any time soon. Life truly is great right now. Looking forward to the next adventure.