A Former Marine Becomes the First Double-Amputee Police Officer in US History

Officer Matias Ferreira recently celebrated a milestone as the only double-amputee police officer in the nation, reported by ABC. 

After his 29 week of training the 28-year-old from Wantagh, New York graduated from the Suffolk County Police Academy. 

He is the department's first full active duty double-amputee officer, let alone the first to serve in the U.S. 

"It's pretty incredible," Ferreira said to ABC News after the graduation ceremony. "I'm truly honored to be part of the department. When I first got on, I didn't know how good I would do -- maybe having some self-doubts in the beginning -- but I had a very supportive staff, very supportive recruit class. Everybody kept pushing me through."

He is also a husband and father to his wife Tiffany and his daughter, Tianna. 

"It's really hard to fail at something when somebody's pushing you the whole way. ... They won't let you quit so you can't quit on yourself,"  Ferreira said.

In 2011 Ferreira was a Marine in Afghanistan when he stepped on an improvised explosive device that took both of his legs below the knee. 

Despite his struggle Ferreira has reached the pinnacle of success and carries a tremendous attitude despite his circumstance. He says that he has learned to deal with the hand that he has been dealt in life. 

"The hand we're dealt in life, we just have to take it, adapt and overcome so that's what I figured I would do," he said. "Once you lose a limb, you think that your life is going to completely change. ... It's really up to you. You know, the technology that's coming out and with a good attitude -- you combine those two -- you can do whatever you want."