A 68-year-old named Richard Mangino lost both of his hands AND feet to an infection in 2002.  But in 2011, he received the world’s first successful DOUBLE HAND TRANSPLANT at a hospital in Boston.  And check out how he’s been doing.

Richard lives in Revere, Massachusetts, just outside Boston.  And less than a year after the surgery, he could already throw a FOOTBALL around with his grandkids.

But before he lost his hands, he was also a painter and a musician.  And not only is he PAINTING again, but he’s been able to start playing the PIANO too.

So far he can only play a few chords.  And sometimes it still sounds like he’s just sort of banging on the keys.  But he says it’s enough for now, and he’s even writing songs.

Richard also hopes to play GUITAR again someday, which requires even more dexterity.  But his doctors say he should keep improving, and it might be possible.

Regardless, he says his progress so far has already made a HUGE difference in his life.  And he doesn’t forget to appreciate the little things, like being able to open and close the blinds, for example.

If you’re wondering, Richard’s new hands came from a guy in New Hampshire, who died of a brain hemorrhage in 2011.  Luckily for Richard, he was an organ donor.

(Yahoo / WCVB / CBS Boston)