GLENDALE, AZ — Raymond Jones is the heart of the Cactus Cobras Football team.
The senior linebacker is a leader of the defense, but this season almost didn't happen for him.
"There was no way I wasn't going to play," Jones said, despite the fact that he underwent open heart surgery during the off-season.
He was born with a heart defect but has been able to work with doctors to play football most of his life.
Last season though, Raymond's medical team found his heart defect was causing subaortic hemorrhage, which is defined as bleeding in the space between the brain and the surrounding membrane, according to Mayo Clinic.
"They saw it was getting worse and worse," Raymond told us. "We had to get it taken care of."
That's when Raymond underwent open heart surgery.
"I remember counting down the days, I remember I had everyone surrounding me... help me feel it would be OK."
The surgery was successful, but doctors still weren't sure Jones would be able to play football again.
However, he thought otherwise, fighting every day to get back on the field.
"He's mentally tough," his coach said. "When there's an obstacle he faces, you know he's going to come through it."
Two months after the surgery, doctors gave Jones the all-clear to return to the field.
Now as this season begins, he's giving 100% and hopes to lead the Cobras to a state championship.
"That's the number one goal," Jones says.