Maryville (WVLT) - You probably remember our reports on high school football star Cole Lail, the William Blount 17-year-old who came down with a sickness so severe, he was near death.

Cole has now gone through an incredible recovery. We were invited to William Blount Friday by his family, and for the first time, you can hear Cole's personal story of survival.

With an eager audience of 120 Fellowship of Christian Athlete members, family, and this news anchor awaiting, 17-year old Cole Lail was ready to explain what he calls a true miracle.

"When I woke up and having the doctor tell me I was an eyelash away from dying is something you take to heart, and you want to re-evaluate your life and see how you're living," Lail said.

Up until last month, this 6'1", 220 pound Blount County defensive player of the year, number 43, was as healthy as you could get. Recruited by Tennessee and a number of other schools, Cole returned early from a college football camp, complaining of sickness. He was taken by ambulance to the hospital, transferred to intensive care, then put on a ventilator, and just a few hours away from dying of bacterial pneumonia.

"My doctor came in and told my parents bluntly, it's between me and God Almighty, that's just how it was. They did everything modern medicine could do for me," Lail said.

With a helpless family looking on, mom says she attributes four things to his recovery.

"The doctor, stabilizing him a little bit, spiritual leader coming, and ended up when you looked at the whole situation, a happy ending, again it was totally out of our control," Alicia Lail said.

Now, with this seemingly second chance at life, Cole is using every opportunity to tell his story.

"That's the message I just want everyone to get when you leave here is God is real, because all you mathematicians out there, less than 50 percent isn't anything good, so if I can pull out of a less than 50 percent chance with God behind me, I mean no telling what greatness He has and can do for anyone else," Lail said.

Now free of any medication, Cole is now preparing for his return to the practice field, and we will be there for his April 21st return.