J.R. Martinez

Jose Rene Martinez (J.R.) is an actor, spokesman and retired soldier. At 17, he moved to Dalton, Georgia, where he played strong safety for the Dalton High School Catamounts when they went to Georgia's State Championship. Playing professional football was his dream until he suffered an injury his senior year ending his career and his hopes of making it to the big time. After high school he joined the army. He entered basic training in 2002 and afterwards reported to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where he was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division.

In March of 2003, J.R. was deployed to Iraq, and on April 5, less than a month into his deployment, he was serving as a driver of a Humvee in Karbala, when his left front tire hit a land-mine. Three other soldiers with J.R. were ejected from the burning vehicle, but Martinez was trapped inside. He suffered smoke inhalation and severe burns to more than 40 percent of his body.

After he was pulled out of the Humvee, J.R. was evacuated to a local medic station in Iraq and then Landstuhl, Germany, for immediate care. He spent 34 months in recovery and underwent 33 different surgeries including skin grafts and cosmetic surgery.

During his time in recovery, a nurse asked him to speak to a burn patient, who had just seen his body for the first time and had become withdrawn. After the visit, the patient finally opened his curtain. J.R. understood the impact he had on this patient and decided to use his experience to help others.

J.R. has become a highly sought-after motivational speaker, traveling the country to spread his message of resilience and optimism. He devotes himself to showing others the true value in making the most of every situation. He is called on by a wide-range of groups, including large corporations, veterans groups, non-profits and schools, and has shared the stage with the likes of global self-help guru Tony Robbins and Evangelist Dave Roever. Martinez has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, The New York Times and PEOPLE Magazine. He has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, 60 Minutes, The View, CNN, FOX News, Good Morning America, along with other major national news outlets.

J.R. also broke into acting as 'Brot Monroe' on the Emmy Award winning daytime drama "All My Children." Due to his popularity, what started as a three month story arc developed into a three year stint. His role as an injured Iraq combat veteran mirrors his own life. J.R. later went on to ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" where he won season 13. Hide