Staff Sgt. Travis Mills was critically wounded by an Improvised Explosive Device while on patrol in Afghanistan. He’s now a quadruple amputee – he lost both of his arms and legs.

The 25-year-old may be back in the states, recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, but his everyday life is still a battle. And at his side, through all of it, are his wife and their daughter, Chloe.

The family jokes that Travis and his 9-month-old are in a race to see who can walk first. Travis has already started taking his first steps but says he needs to hurry up because his daughter’s not far behind!

The family posts updates on Travis’ progress on their Facebook group; you’ll see videos of Travis learning to feed his daughter or doing sit-ups while she teeters on his stomach. You’ll also see him smiling – a positive attitude that he attributes to the amazing support system he has around him.

“I’ve always been a positive person,” he tells HLN’s Evening Express. “Every time anyone asks how my day’s going I tell them, ‘Another day in paradise.’ They think I’m being smart about it but I’m really not. I’m in a good mood a lot of times. “

Check out the video above to hear more about Travis’ story. You can also read more about his story at www.travismills.org.