LOUISVILLE, Ky. — It was senior night Friday for PRP High School's football team, and that meant bringing out the best plays.
The first one drawn up -- a 50-yard rush up the middle for a touchdown by PRP senior Jesse Willen.
Willen, 17, has cerebral palsy and is in a wheelchair, but he's never let that stop him.
So, when the team let the family know they wanted Willen to take the honorary first snap of the game, they were overjoyed. A fan for years, this was his first big chance to make his mark on the field.
"He just loves them, and he knows they're behind him," Willen's grandmother Cindy Ogle said.
Ogle told WHAS11 Willen has been a fighter since day one.
"He has not had an easy life, as you can imagine. He's had several surgeries, and he's had to fight to where he is now," she said. "He's worked for it, and I feel like he deserves it. And I'm so glad they let him have that moment."
WHAS11 talked to Willen too, before and after the game.
"Nothing is guaranteed, so you play until your very last snap," he said. "They welcomed me with very open arms, and I'm very glad that they did."
Willen says he'll be attending the University of Louisville next year, and he hopes to one day go into coaching to inspire others just like he did Friday night.
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