Andres Mantilla

New Britain, CT

Meet Andres “Dre” Mantilla, an athlete from New Britain who is a member of the Unified Sports® softball team going to the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games. Dre is 38 years old and works as a Security Officer at Saint Francis Hospital. He’s been involved in Special Olympics since 2002. This will be Dre’s second USA Games - he represented Connecticut as a member of the Unified basketball team at the 2010 USA Games in Nebraska.

Dre feels he has benefited from his participation in Special Olympics. “Through Special Olympics, I slowly began to be more comfortable and have confidence through playing sports,” he says. 

In addition to practicing with his softball team, Dre enjoys playing video games, watching TV, and listening to music. He admires his teammates because they believe in him and “give him advice about sports and everything else.” 

Dre is very excited to attend the USA Games in 2026. “It’s a chance to see athletes from across the country compete at a national level, showing their dedication and skills,” he says.