NYPD academy graduate was inspired to become a cop by heroic officer who saved his sister from bleeding to death after crash

The thin blue line came full circle.

One of the NYPD recruits who graduated from the academy Thursday was inspired to become a cop by a heroic officer who saved his sister from “bleeding to death” after a gut-wrenching crash in Queens decades ago, he told The Post.

Freshly minted Officer Xavier Duran, 35, was 9 years old in March 1998 when a big rig slammed into his family as they were crossing a street in the Corona neighborhood — crushing his then-6-year-old sister Jeanette’s leg, he said.

Quick-thinking cop Lino Minetto grabbed the little girl and rushed her to a hospital on his lap instead of waiting for an ambulance — saving her life and compelling Duran to pay it forward, he said.

“It proved to me that one officer can change a whole family, like this gentleman did,” Duran said after the graduation ceremony at Madison Square Garden. “That’s why I want to be a police officer — because I want to do the same.”

Duran was one of 588 recruits, including 454 men and 134 women, who graduated from the Police Academy Thursday morning and will now wear a badge in the Big Apple.

Among the friends and family cheering for Duran at the event was Minetto, 61 and now-retired sergeant, who recalled the harrowing accident he responded to all those years ago.

 “[Duran’s] sister was in the middle of the crosswalk, basically her leg was dangling off her body and she was bleeding to death, barely conscious,” said Minetto, who was first to the scene with his partner.

“We didn’t want to wait for the ambulance, thinking she might bleed to death,” he said. “I scooped her up, put her on my lap, and we just flew to Elmhurst hospital. We radioed ahead and everything fell into place.”

Doctors had to amputate her leg but she fully recovered and was soon thriving, leaving Duran forever grateful.

“Xavier’s family, within minutes of her arrival at the ER, were on their knees praying to God. I believe in prayer, faith and the great work of the doctors,” Minetto said.

Asked what it meant to now be watching Duran join the force, Minetto said, “It breaks my heart with pride.”

“He is going to be an amazing police officer and give back to his city and the world. He is going to be a good cop,” he said.

During the crash, Duran and his brother were tossed under the truck but emerged from beneath it largely unscathed.

“Me and my brother ended up under the semi-truck, we came out from the bottom,” Duram recalled.“I didn’t know how I got there but I was thrown at least 15 to 20 feet. I just had a couple of bruises on my leg. We were OK.”

Investigators later found the driver of the truck was temporarily blinded by glare from the sun while turning at the intersection and didn’t charge him criminally.

At the ceremony Thursday, Mayor Eric Adams praised the NYPD’s graduating class in a speech recalling his own days serving as a cop.

“There were good days and there were bad days. There were days that I saw some of the most cruel acts that man can inflict on man,” Adams said. “There were days when there was joy, when you saved someone’s life or found a lost child or responded to someone who needed medical care.”

“Little did I know that what I learned in the police department would fortify me throughout my entire life,” he said — telling the new cops they’re fortunate to serve the Big Apple.

“We’re the lucky ones. Congratulations to you,” he said.