"Cougar Country" Gets a Big Surprise at Half-Time of Bball Game - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

"Cougar Country" Gets a Big Surprise at Half-Time of Bball Game

At half-time of many basketball games people can play bingo, or get concessions, but at the Heart River boys basketball game the entire crowd gets a thrill.

Their beloved mascot is back after missing the entire season so far.

During the last game of the season, someone important is missing on the court.

Not a player, but a symbol of school pride.

"No one knows that he is here, it is a huge surprise and his coach has put this together, so Theron will walk out with his cheerleaders in full costume and then take off his hat during half-time, it's basically his welcoming home." says Theron's mom Erica Lee.

Before his big reveal, we waited in the wings with 15-year-old Theron Lee and his family.

"Theron was the mascot last year, an entertaining mascot, he gave the cougar life." says Erica Lee.

(Are you a jokester?) "Yes ma'am!" says Theron.

Humor in spite of a lifetime of medical difficulties.

Theron was born with a congenital heart defect.

Last summer he faced complications during a checkup with his pacemaker and they nearly lost him.

He did suffer a brain injury during that time and still has a long road to recovery ahead, but he's overcome so much already.

"Roadblocks, one of those was he was never going to walk again, as we came through the back, they snuck us in, I told him, you made it, you're here, this is your moment." says Theron's mom Erica.

As he prepares to make his grand entry for the first time this season, he and sister Tyler anticipate how the crowd might react.

"Chaos.." says Theron.

"Everybody screaming, Theron come give me a hug." says Tyler.

But even they were in for a surprise...

"Theron, we want to present you with this award, the lifetime honorary Cougar spirit award." says cheer coach, Amanda Kuntz.

"On behalf of me and my family we want to thank you for making us part of your community." says Theron's dad Michael.

"He would get letters, packages from home, he couldn't wait, that's what kept him going in therapy, the support he got here, we are truly, truly blessed for that, he's made it." says Erica.

"They brought out Theron in his mascot, and we haven't seen him in a long time... It was just really awesome to see him wearing his uniform again." says Shanea Haugtvedt/Senior and Ashlee Wolf/Sophomore.

"He's an inspiration to us all I just wanted to share that with the crowd and everybody so they would know what he's been through." says Amanda Kuntz/cheer coach.

Some of Theron's therapists were there to see the half-time surprise.

The Lee's moved to Heart River from Arizona two years ago, and weren't too fond of North Dakota right away, but after the love they've been shown in Belfield, they now consider this home.

Theron has more cardiology and neurology check-ups in April.