Teen gets surprise visit from a hockey Hall of Famer

SYOSSET (WABC) -- "Today I feel great I'm back to myself I'm back to being me."

Cord Lehman says that's all he wants. The teenager from Syosset was born with tetrology of fallot-- a rare combination of 4 major heart defects. That meant multiple operations as a child

"The 3rd surgery I remember the best the other 2 I have absolutely no remembrance whatsoever," he said.

Now 17 years old- the main artery to his lungs was becoming blocked again. This time, his doctors at Cohen Childrens Medical Center implanted a new device-- the melody valve.

Dr. Dipak Kholwadwala, an interventional cardiologist at Cohen Children's Medical Center explained:

"It can relieve the blockage at the same time stop the leakage of the valve."

It's placed through a large vein in the right leg -- that means Cord avoided yet another open heart surgery. Just 4 hours after it was over:

"I was able to get up in the chair and take that picture texting tweeting," Cord continued,

"Later that night watch the Canadiennes beat the Rangers and that felt great."

And now this hockey fan is about to get a graduation surprise.

The New York Islander great, former ranger and hockey Hall of Famer -Pat Lafontaine -greets his biggest fan:

"He has passion and he has courage and he asked if I could come because he was a big fan of hockey and he's graduating. Happy to come bring him a stick and wish him good luck."

Cord will soon be heading off to Hofstra University. He and his family say they are grateful to all his doctors:

"Without them I very likely would not be here today."