Hunter College student pushed onto tracks joined at graduation by MTA officers who rescued her

NEW YORK (WABC) -- A student who was pushed onto railroad tracks two years ago graduated from Hunter College Wednesday, and was joined onstage by the two MTA police officers who rescued her.

Graduation day for Maya Leggat was special enough, but when she stood to hear how she had faced a life-threatening moment, she was tearfully greeted by the officers who saved her life.

The emotion of seeing them once again brought tears of joy to a heartfelt reunion. Maya's near brush with death came in 2013 when she was pushed from the Metro North platform in White Plains by a homeless man, just as a train was approaching.

She fell to the tracks lodged under the train, when Officer Tad Uzzle tried to calm her.

"She was amazing, she was the toughest person I've ever seen in my life under circumstances like that," said Uzzle, now retired. "She was definitely hurt very bad."

"Tad and I ran to the other side, climbed down and we found Maya," said Officer Dan Kearon.

"It was the worst day ever but it went so well under the circumstances. It was amazing," said Uzzle.

Pulling to safety, Maya would then spend many months recovering from her injuries and desperately trying to keep up with her studies at Hunter College.

"I like to stay on top of my schoolwork, it's something that gives me a lot of pleasure," she said. "So I tried, I Skyped with my professors and they sent me assignments, and we did the best we could for as long as we could."

Leading her to this special day, her graduation day and receiving a degree in English.

And now, a lifetime of special memories for the men who helped make this day possible.