A doctor said his days were numbered, that death would come within the year. Now, nine years later a Bennington teenager is not only alive, he's off to college on an athletic scholarship.

Channel 6 News first told you about Drew Dotzler eight years ago. After two bouts with cancer, he was out of the hospital to serve as ball boy for the Bennington boys basketball team. One week later, doctors had to amputate part of his leg.

Now Drew is walking quite well with his prosthetic and his game is wheelchair basketball. He developed his skills playing with the Omaha Red Dogs and is so good, the University of Missouri offered him a scholarship to play for the Tigers' wheelchair team.

"He spent seven years with me, eight years with me and he's worked hard, he's made himself into this ballplayer that he now has the opportunity to go play," says Red Dogs coach Mike Kull.

Not only is Drew thankful for the scholarship, he's thankful to be alive. The news was grim after his second bout with cancer and chemotherapy. "They told me that there was no way that I was going to live past eight months. They said go live life and nine years later I'm still here."

Dr. James Neff at the Nebraska Medical Center removed part of Drew's leg and actually reattached his shin and ankle backwards to his thigh. "The cancer was in my knee so they went in and they cut that and that and they just took that out and then they turned it around backwards and put it back on,” says Drew.

The nerves and blood vessels were kept intact so Drew has compete feeling and dexterity in his foot. It gives him two joints to use with his prosthesis.

So this year there will be two Dotzlers playing college basketball. Drew’s cousin Josh Dotzler plays point guard for Creighton.

"I still love him all because he's wearing the black and gold I'm not going to have to be against him so we're excited to see him play and just to see him go forward," says Josh.

Drew says he's still learning how to run with his prosthesis. He'll be off to college in about a week.