LA VERNIA, Texas -- A La Vernia High School senior who suffered a near-fatal heat stroke three years ago during baseball practice will graduate Friday night.

Few thought that Chris Burnam would survive to see his graduation day.

Burnam died twice in the ambulance and once in the emergency room. His body temperature that day was almost 115 degrees, 16 degrees above the typical human body temperature.

Then 15 years old, Burnam learned the hard way the hydrating difference between soda and water.

"There's no substitution for water," he said. "If you have a soda or diet soda, just drink double the water later on."

Collapsing in organ failure from heatstroke became a life-changing experience for the teenager.

"I had to work for what I wanted," he said.

Despite early prognosis that his life would never be the same, Burnam is going to walk across the stage with his classmates. He has been accepted as a pre-med student at the University of the Incarnate Word.

With a new lease on life, Burnam is planning to specialize in spinal surgery so that he can give back to others.

"I want to make people feel better," Burnam said of his decision to study medicine.