By David Fleet
Editor
Goodrich- Jordan Zmich is confident her recent three seconds of fame is only the beginning.

“I’m not sure how far it will take me but someday I want to be an actress,” she said. “I’d do comedy if I had my choice. If that doesn’t work out I’d do accounting or maybe interior design.”
At just 16 years old, Zmich’s ambition and zest for success recently landed her a part in a YMCA commercial that continues to air on national television. The brief segment is part of a montage that features Zmich, who was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy at age 2, competing in wheelchair hockey.
SMA is a genetic disease the impacts the motor nerve cells in the spinal cord, taking away the ability to walk, eat, or even sometimes breathe.
“She has many goals in life,” said Kari Zmich, the mother of Jordan. “She’s very determined, positive and never slows down.”
Jordan’s segment for the YMCA stemmed from a friend who knew a casting director seeking a teen who uses a wheelchair for mobility.
“We sent a picture in and they contacted us for the part,” she said. “The producers flew to Detroit from LA for the filming and we made $250 for the short segment. Then we started getting texts from friends reporting they saw Jordan on ABC, CBS all the networks. Many people have said they just love seeing her on television. It was just too exciting.”
In addition to a film career, Jordan is a veteran of the Wheelchair Hockey League where in 2016 was named MVP.
“I’m competitive,” laughed Jordan, a GHS sophomore. “I’ve been playing hockey since I was about 11 years old. The ages range from 10 to 40 so it’s pretty intense.”
Jordan also is a member GHS band, plays the piano and will help direct this years high school play.