A heart-warming photo of a wife giving her husband, a double amputee, a piggyback ride has gone viral.

Kelly Cottle’s husband, Jesse Cottle, was serving as a Marine in Afghanistan in 2009. While he was on duty oversees, Jesse stepped on an IED and an explosion occurred causing him to lose both of his legs.

“It was tough and it is tough in general, but I just kind of always had the attitude that it’s really tough now but things will just be okay, and I had my family around me I had good friends and basically just my faith really helped me to carry me through,” he continued, “I was lucky to be able to go through the tough recovery, and then still live my life, and meet my beautiful wife.”

Kelly met her husband while they were both attending a swim meet in San Diego. It was one of the first outings that Jesse had been on while using his prosthetic legs. “I just remember being very intrigued by him. He was just very different and not just because of his legs, just who he was,” says Kelly recalling her initial reaction to Jesse.

The picture was posted on the photographer, Sarah Ledford’s, Facebook page. It instantly started gaining more than 7,000 likes, and over 500 shares.

“It’s an amazingly inspiring story that has touched the lives of many Americans,” Ledford said. “Jesse is not a hero for stepping on an IED, he’s a hero because of the way he has handled what was handed to him and how he chooses to continue to conduct his life with his positive attitude.”

How does Jesse feel about his wife carrying him around? “The photo really says it all. I actually look at it very much as a symbol for our whole relationship in general. She’s physically carrying me, but there’s times where she’s carrying me emotionally. It’s a perfect representation of who Kelly is.”

Image via Facebook, ShutterHappy Photography