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clear he is a player with heart. in 2011 his game was interrupted. >> i was in complete shock. >> reporter: a routine team physical revealed an aortic aneurysm near the left valve of his heart. jeff, who was 25 at the time, needed surgery. >> it was nerve wrecking. i couldn't run. i couldn't touch a basketball. i couldn't get stressed out. it was tough. >> reporter: and rebounding from open-heart surgery that wasn't easy either. jeff didn't touch a basketball for nearly six months. he lost muscle and the mechanics of his game. >> it was a slow progression. my body was different. the timing was off. i was fatigued. i wasn't concerned about getting hit. the biggest thing for me was just being in shape and being able to function out there on the floor. >> reporter: the experience did give jeff a greater appreciation for basketball. >> now i attack every game as this could be my last. >> reporter: it also gave him a greater appreciation for life. he often visits young heart patients, providing encouragement and to compare