The legacy of Birdman all began when Sousa got his first PS3, and his brother, messing with him, made his username “birdman3773.” This ended up becoming his Instagram handle as well, which led to students calling him “Birdman” at school.

Sousa shares, “I don’t usually call myself this, but to put it in perspective, since my sophomore year, when the name was popularized by Mailie Esterella, I had stopped hearing my actual name from people other than teachers. I’m rarely called to or referred to as Blake.”

Sophomore year marked a remarkable change when he started being called Birdman. His friend Jackie West, who was there since the beginning, shares her experience of when Sousa’s new nickname was popularized. 

West comments, “When people first started calling Blake ‘Birdman’, I just thought it a funny joke. But when people started to recognize him as ‘Birdman’ more often than Blake is when it got really interesting. It was like he was some sort of celebrity or hero. People he’d never met in person would recognize him and greet him enthusiastically or show up to events he’d plan.”

Many students on campus will recognize Sousa as “Birdman” immediately. Although Sousa didn’t create the nickname himself, he has definitely embraced it.

“I personally really like this name, because whenever I think of the ‘bird’ in it, it is a chicken to me. Which although being the dumbest bird, has the brightest fighting spirit,” Sousa remarks.

As Sousa has become one with Birdman, he has grown to be very fond of birds, especially chickens. In his Instagram Bio, he includes lyrics from the popular Lynyrd Skynyrd song, “Freebird.” Sousa explains that this song not only relates to birds, but also shares a theme of “becoming free in order to explore the world, held down by no one person or thing.” Sousa often prefers listening to songs that have meaningful lyrics. He likes midwest emo and metal music, including older rock bands such as the Scorpions, and his favorite, Queen.

To go along with his nickname, Sousa has a bird mask as well as a suit. His mom has also begun to collect Kurt Geiger shoes that have birds on them, which she refers to as her “birdman shoe collection.”

West adds, “Blake is an amazingly creative and passionate guy, and he gives up a lot of things for others. He truly is a man of the people–those people being his friends and admirers. In my eyes, this nickname captures all of that and his “heroic” actions and personality, like it’s some sort of superhero or vigilante persona.”

Another thing that makes Sousa unique is that opposed to the traditional backpack, Sousa carries around a briefcase at school.

He shares, “I choose to carry a briefcase because it’s memorable, and it starts conversation. But, another reason is because it makes people laugh, which is why I do most things. It’s in order to brighten people’s day. Considering I sometimes can be awkward to talk to, it helps a lot, and I believe it helps others.”

Coincidentally, Sousa found both the briefcase and his vest in bulk trash one day. He found the brown suit that he also wears in the front of the desert behind the school and bought his bird mask on Amazon.

Outside of school, Sousa spends some of his time hanging out in the desert with lots of other students from Shadow Ridge. Some of his other hobbies include making music with and singing for his band and hanging out with his girlfriend. He is also currently working on writing a Birdman comic, but has had minimal luck with it so far.

“Birdman” may have started out as some silly nickname, but it has evolved into something much greater for Blake and the people around him.

West explains, “I’ve asked him how he feels about his popularity provided by his nickname, and I think the Birdman nickname gives him something inspiring to live up to, and gives him a tool to inspire others around him. It seems silly, but to him and his friends, it has become a very raw and commendable thing.” 

West also believes that as Sousa has gained more popularity through this nickname, he has used it to unite people of all different communities, backgrounds, and beliefs.

Sousa’s friend, Larry Halvorson, comments, “Birdman is quite mysterious. I’m not sure how he maintains his social life while also living as Birdman.”

Sousa is currently wrapping up his senior year, and as he is approaching graduation, he has a vision.

“My goal is to be able to be introduced as ‘Birdman’ in graduation, along with possibly the bird mask as well,” Sousa states.

Afterward, Sousa hopes to pass on the “Birdman” name and legacy onto somebody else.