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Over-aged Immokalee athlete receives High School diploma

COLLIER COUNTY: One of the Immokalee High School football players that was in the middle of an over-aged student controversy has received his high school diploma.

Some people say that Blandell Jean one of the most hated people in Immokalee. But he may just be one of the most misunderstood. On Friday night, the Haitian immigrant who fled his country during a civil war, received his high school diploma from the Naples International Learning Academy.

After graduating, he sat down and talked about his past, his future, and offered an apology to the entire community.

"I'm not saying I'm perfect. But I'm not a liar," said Jean.

Jean says he never realized he was too old for an American high school. He says in four years of going there, no one ever asked his age until one week before graduation.

"He said to me, "Did you know you were too old?' and I said, 'No, I didn't know,'" said Jean.

But Jean says he is now looking toward the future. He doesn't have any parents and he lives with his sister. He says he's going to use his diploma to help children in Haiti.

"I want to be a doctor. That's my dream," said Jean.

Jean had tears in his eyes when he explained what his parents would say if they could have seen him receive his diploma.

"This is their dream for me. This is all they ever wanted," said Jean.

Jean says he wants to put the whole thing behind him. Those who know him, his teachers and friends at graduation, say he was a victim not a villain.

But regardless of what people think, he says he is sorry.

"I apologize to Immokalee High School, the soccer team, the football team, I'm so sorry about that," said Jean.