Courtesy photo Jorden McClure receives his diploma from Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump on Friday at the White House in Washington, D.C.

Doctors once told Jorden McClure that he would never be able to hold his head up.

But the Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic graduate overcame that prognosis and has held it high as the Marauders’ team captain in high school football since he was 8 years old.

Friday, he got the chance to do it again on an even bigger stage — his high school graduation in front of President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, D.C.

McClure’s family got a call from Bishop Guilfoyle’s Mike Cacciotti that the White House was having an event to honor graduates and had reached out to the archdiocese of Washington, D.C., which then referred the White House to Bishop Guilfoyle. The administration decided to choose Jorden to represent the 2020 class.

“It was almost like someone was telling me a joke and it wasn’t real,” McClure said. “I said to my mom that she had to be joking with me. She was like ‘no, seriously, you’re going to the White House,’ and about an hour later, it hit me. I was like, ‘oh my goodness. We’re going to the White House.’ It was so surreal and awesome.”

McClure has lived with Larsen syndrome since birth. He has multiple joint dislocations and must use a motorized wheelchair. He spent seven years using a ventilator and was told he wouldn’t be able to breathe without one, but he overcame those odds as well and has not used a ventilator for the past nine years.

“Jorden is an inspiration to us,” said Robin McClure, Jorden’s mother. “He is the reason why our faith is so strong. He doesn’t let anything stand in his way. He’s never said the word can’t. He’s always been taught that we can find a better or different way, and we couldn’t be prouder of him. He’s an amazing young man.”

McClure began serving as a captain on the Bishop Guilfoyle football team when the Marauders were coached by Marty Georgiana. When current head coach Justin Wheeler took over, he asked Jorden to continue his duties. McClure served as a team captain for three state championship teams and was on the field in Hershey this past season when BG finished as the runner-up.

Trump praised McClure before having a one-on-one conversation with him.

“Jorden has endured the trials of a rare disease,” Trump said. “But he has never let up and never stopped. He’s doing a phenomenal job. Since he was 8, Jorden has been honorary captain of the high school football team, motivating his team to win three state championships.”

McClure and Trump’s conversation was centered around the Marauders’ football team, which Trump said must be pretty good if they won three state titles in Pennsylvania. Trump asked McClure if any BG players might make the NFL someday, and he was quick to answer Kolton McGhee, once the top-rated kicker in the nation who graduated from Bishop Guilfoyle and now plays for West Virginia.

“It was a once-in-a-lifetime type of experience,” McClure said. “Whenever he called on me, I was hoping that when he did so that the answer to the question he would ask would be obvious so I didn’t trip over my words. But everything came naturally.”

McClure also got a chance to spin his wheelchair around and show Trump what was on the back.

“It was cool to show our country’s leader my favorite word — believe,” McClure said. “He mentioned my license plate on the back, and it was still there, so I got to show him. Whenever he saw that, I heard him say ‘thank you,’ and that was very cool.”

Bishop Guilfoyle had scheduled its graduation for Friday, and McClure said getting to go to the White House more than made up for missing out on a traditional ceremony.

Now that he’s graduated high school, been a part of three state championship football teams and met the president, McClure has even higher goals.

“This next year, I’m going to figure everything out,” McClure said. “I’m looking at some way to become a pilot. I have always wanted to be involved with aircrafts. It really intrigues me. I want to be a helicopter pilot and help with medevac air ambulance or something like that.”