I am a fan of JR Martinez. He is an actor (Brot Monroe on All MY Children), a motivational speaker and now a celebrity dancer on “Dancing with the Stars”. JR is disfigured from burns over 40% of his body and has endured 33 surgeries including grafting and plastic surgery. He is missing his left ear as well.

Not unlike his role on “All My Children” where he plays a military veteran, JR served in the US Army Infantry and was deployed to Iraq in 2003. A month after his deployment his humvee hit a land mine his fellow three soldiers were ejected from the humvee but he was trapped inside where he suffered from smoke inhalation and suffered burns. His optimism and determination have helped many other burned soldiers and he has since become a motivational speaker.

If you get a chance, watch him dance on “Dancing With the Stars” because he is worth seeing in motion and his attitude is infectious.

Before his burns:

On All My Children:

On Dancing With The Stars:

As Motivational Speaker: