Jaxon inspires via action

SINCE Jaxon De Santis started playing guitar at 16, the now 22-year-old has been gigging, singing, acting, and working, and being an all-round good bloke.

Pride of Australia , Jaxon De Santis is a musician, footballer and actor. He's an inspiration to other young Indigenous boys.

JAXON De Santis is a busy man.

Since he started playing guitar at 16, the now 22-year-old has been gigging, singing, acting, and working, and being an all-round good bloke.

Last year, he completed his electrical apprenticeship, and is fresh off a three-month tour, where he performed in Wulamanayuwi and the Seven Pamanui, a puppet performance based on Snow White using the language and rhyme of the Tiwi Islands.

He also finds time to play footy. He has now been nominated for a Pride of Australia Medal.

Mr De Santis said he’s humbled by the nomination.

“It feels pretty good, it’s the first time I’ve been nominated for any kind of award,” he said.

Mr De Santis’ mum and stepfather are both police officers, so he spent most his childhood moving around the Territory as they got posted.

“It worked out well, I know a lot of different people around the Territory, and I’ve seen different cultures.”

He is now role model for young indigenous boys.

“If I can give that image, that I inspire young boys, indigenous or not, to do what they love, and encourage them to strive towards that and stay out of trouble, it’s special.

“It makes me happy that my outlook and performance can give people that inspiration. It’s a great feeling.”

Nominations for the Pride of Australia awards close today.

In the decade since their inception, the awards have honoured more than 550 Aus-tralians, shared more than 19,000 inspirational stories and unearthed extraordinary feats of courage and heroism.

For more, go to ntnews.com.au/prideofaustralia