Full of Heart: My Story of Survival, Strength, and Spirit

by J.R. Martinez, Alexandra Fleming

An inspirational journey from tragedy to triumph

In 2003, nineteen-year-old Private J.R. Martinez was on a routine patrol when the Humvee he was driving hit an antitank mine in Iraq, resulting in severe injuries and burns on his face and more than one-third of his body. Out of that tragedy came an improbable journey of inspiration, motivation, and dreams come true. In Full of Heart, Martinez shares his story in intimate detail, from his upbringing in the American South and his time in the Army to his recovery and the indomitable spirit that has made him an inspiration to countless fans.

J.R. Martinez always had a strong spirit. Raised in Bossier City, Louisiana, and then Hope, Arkansas, by a single mother from El Salvador, he was well known at school for his good looks and his smart mouth. At seventeen, showing an early determination and drive that would become one of his trademark qualities, J.R. convinced his mom to move to Dalton, Georgia, where he believed he would have a better chance of being recruited to play college football. His positive attitude earned him a spot on a competitive high school football squad, but when his college dreams collapsed, he turned to the U.S. Army. A few months later, he found himself serving in Iraq.

When J.R.’s humvee hit a mine and exploded—just one month into his deployment—he was immediately evacuated to a San Antonio medical center, where he spent the next thirty-four months in grueling recovery. Seeing his disfigured face for the first time after the accident threw him into a crushing period of confusion and anger. His spirits were low, until he was asked to speak to another young burn victim. J.R. realized how valuable and gratifying it was to share his experiences with other patients and listen to theirs. He’d found a calling.

His fellow soldiers, along with the local and then national media, soon latched onto J.R.’s spirit and strength. His resilience, optimism, and charm were also noted by Hollywood and scored him roles on All My Children and Dancing with the Stars, where he was the season thirteen champion.

Today, J.R. tours the country sharing his story and his lessons for overcoming challenges and embracing hope, lessons that abound in this book. Full of Heart is an unforgettable story of a man who never gave up on his dreams.

After being injured in Iraq, J.R. Martinez became a motivational speaker, actor, and winner of season thirteen of Dancing with the Stars. Martinez lives in Los Angeles

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography Memoir, Book Club, Inspirational, Autobiography

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

In March of 2003, J.R. (Jose Rene) was deployed to Iraq, and on April 5, less than a month into his deployment, he was serving as a driver of a Humvee when his left front tire hit a land-mine. J.R. suffered smoke inhalation and severe burns to more than 34 percent of his body. J.R. spent 34 months in recovery at Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) in San Antonio, Texas and underwent 33 different surgeries including skin grafts and cosmetic surgery. Since then, J.R. has become a highly sought-after motivational speaker, traveling the country to spread his message of resilience and optimism. In October 2008, J.R. stepped into another role, when he was cast as combat veteran Brot Monroe on ABC’ s Emmy® Award-winning daytime drama All My Children. In 2011, J.R. was cast on Dancing With the Stars. Partnered with Karina Smirnoff, they became the early favorites en route to the Mirrorball Trophy. In May of 2012, J.R. and his girlfriend Diana Gonzales-Jones welcomed a baby daughter, Lauryn Annabelle. He also continues to balance his speaking engagements, along with his extensive charity work.

Reviews

[Cami · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don't waste your time! When I read this book, I wanted to slap J.R. and his chronicles of girlfriends and poor father figures. When I closed the book, I literally spit at it.

From the beginning of this book, J.R. rubbed me the wrong way. He was cocky in describing himself growing up and I didn't appreciate his bragging about continually breaking rules--at home, at school, at Army Basic Training, in Iraq, and on and on. Yes, he was born into poor circumstances, his mom had a crazy rough life, and he lived through a tragedy of being burned but it didn't seem to change him that much. He started off a cocky jerk and now he is a celebrity that is still selfish and cocky. I kept reading hoping that he would learn from his lessons but it doesn't sound like it. If he's such a great speaker and motivator, it is not coming across in this book. After 200 pages he was still bragging about disregarding rules at work and 10 pages later he's telling a professional that she doesn't know what she's talking about. His pride made me want to choke him and the last chapter came across as brag, brag, brag. It was so off-putting! He served in Iraq for one month and hit a roadside bomb and that somehow qualifies him for accolade after accolade. I feel like he exploited his military service, bragged about spending the payout he later received, and does a disservice to actual war heroes. I'm sorry he got burned and am sure that was quite a trial but I do not draw strength from anything in this book and would not label him as full of heart.

If you want to read an account of a humble person surviving a tragic burn, read "Heaven is Here" by Stephanie Nielsen. I heard her speak in person and thought she was just okay but when I read the behind-the-scenes story in this book, I grew to absolutely love her, to love life, to appreciate my body, and to live a strong life.

[Denise Chojnacki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspirational, hopeful, redeeming; these are the stories that need to be heard. J.R. Martinez rose up from a very difficult background and made something pretty amazing of his life. Such a varied array of paths and opportunities this man has taken. What I really loved was his relationship with his mother. That kind of closeness sometimes is only borne out of trauma, but it is beautiful to hear about in the day and age we live in. The part where he was a contestant on Dancing With the Stars was fun too. If you are looking for a story to lift you up and give you hope, this is a good read.

[Kimber · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book because J.R. has intrigued me since I first saw him on All My Children, which I admit I have watched for decades, and I was hoping for a truly inspirational story about this fascinating, charismatic young man. I did enjoy reading about his journey, but I felt there was something lacking. It was written simply, which reflects his lack of education and writing skills, but this also endears the story because it's from his heart and in his words. (well, almost since he had a writing partner) He was extremely respectful of those around him, by not giving a lot of details or dirt, but at the same time perhaps this is what the book is lacking. Not dirt so much as more emotional details. The story is there, but something in the writing is not. He/They told his story, but he/they didn't make me feel it.

[Shawn Thrasher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mr. Martinez will be appearing at Ontario City Library in April 2013 to discuss his book. So I decided I would read it in preparation for that visit. I don't think I would have picked it up otherwise. I was pleasantly surprised. I was able to finish the entire book without wincing or being bored. His experiences before, during and after Iraq were particularly interesting and moving. I wasn't as interested in his professional trip to Hollywood though, but as that is why he's able to write this book in the first place, it obviously has to be part of his story. Luckily, it's pretty short. I thought the cast of All of Children come across as sort of insufferable; but I also think Mr. Martinez sounds kind of cocky too. I certainly wouldn't say this book is for everyone, but for a book I felt that I had to read, it didn't kill me and was actually pretty good.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got to hear J. R. Martinez in person as he was a keynote speaker at the Texas Library Association Annual Conference in April 2013. He is a positive, energetic person. He shared much of his life's story in his inspirational message. This book fills in many of the finer details of his life experience, from the struggles during his growing-up years through the explosion and aftermath which has changed his life.

He heroically and truthfully shares from his heart about the pain, anger, and confusion, and ultimately the recovery and restoration he has undergone in his miraculous journey.

[Bre · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a burn victim myself, this book has amazing insight through the emotional journey. I connected more than I expected. Many people in the world do not even know what burn victims go through, you just happen to notice us on the street as being different. This book will let you realize that in reality we are not different, we just have a rare, amazing story to share, and this book shares J.R.'s story brilliantly!

[Julie Alejos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! I cried and laughed out loud. I want to meet JR!

[Mary Calkins]

Loved this book...mainly because I think J.R. Martinez is so incredible! When I look at what he has been through, I really don't have any problems!

[Jamie Tejada · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read book of inspiration! Never lose HOPE!

The endurance of the body and mind when one faced with an unexpected situation. This book touches on emotional recovery, exemplifies strength in its various forms of mental, emotional, and physical and explores how one is shaped by adversity. Overall, is a powerful exploration of resilience, strength and the unbreakable will to survive. This book offering inspiration to anyone facing their own battles. Thank you J.R Martinez for your service! You are never alone, stay strong and be your own kind of beautiful always!

[Heidi Gass]

Picked this up as the author was going to be speaking at a luncheon I went to. Also satisfies the OPL 2023 reading challenge, read a book by a latine author. I am not going to rate this book as I feel very awkward doing that based on someone's life story. That being said, I don't think this book was very well written. His sorry is impactful and I am so honored that he shared it with us but the writing made him come across, to me, in a way I was just not fond of.

[Jan Tisdale · Rating 3 out of 5]

In 2003, 19 yr old JR, his vehicle was bombed in Iraq. Had severe burns on face and 1/3 of body. He shares his upbringing, his time in army, and his recovery.
He was in football, and on tv show, All My Children and Dancing with the Stars. Today he travels and shares his story.

“ I enjoyed book more than I thought I would and gave it a 3 1/2 stars. Burns are extreme painful. Interesting book and well written but didn’t “wow” me.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

J.R.'s story is such an interesting one. I've had the pleasure of listening to one of his motivational talks, and this book provides even more detail behind the man he has become. J.R.'s writing style is very conversational, making this book easy to read - and hard to put down because it felt like ending a conversation in the middle of a story.

[Michelle Auwae-Lapilio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story, great man.

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was very truthful and enlightening about what I R went through in Iraq and his journey back.

[Todd McQueen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grew up poor with single parent got badly burned in combat. Story of how he overcomes the odds. B+

[Joan Richardson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great and inspiring story. MNot best written, but still impactful

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of his recovery is wonderful and the remaking of his life is inspiring

[Michelle Tejada · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of the son of an undocumented immigrant who was injured at the age of 19. Despite his scars, he never lost faith and became a successful speaker and actor.

[Victoria Waddle · Rating 3 out of 5]

You may know J. R. Martinez due to his fairly recent celebrity. In 2003, he was a nineteen-year-old soldier in Iraq. Only in the country for a month, and not yet battle-experienced, he was driving a Humvee when he hit a roadside bomb.

Martinez remembers this event in slow motion, saw his hands burning and then his face. When his fellow soldiers tried to pull him from the vehicle, his skin came away in their hands.

Martinez was a very good looking guy. He says that he was always afraid of Freddy Krueger in the Nightmare on Elm Street movies. When he first saw his burned face, he felt like Freddy. How would he ever get his life back?

The journey to getting his life back is the story of Full of Heart.

Martinez’s roots were not the kind that immediately lead to success. His mother was an illegal immigrant, who scraped together the money to come to the U.S. from El Salvador in hope of providing for her children, one of whom had no bones in her feet and, thus, couldn’t walk. Though Maria works like a dog, she makes some bad choices in men and finds herself with another child—J. R.—and a single parent. She does, however, makes some good choices in friends, and a few are a great help to her. They assist her in attaining legal status; eventually, she becomes a U. S. citizen.

In Hope, Arkansas (yes, the home of Bill Clinton), J. R. (Rene) dreams of being a football star. He carries that dream to Dalton, Georgia, where football is king. He’s not very big, but he’s determined and makes the high school team more because of his positive mindset than his talent. He works hard and improves on the field, but allows his grades to slide, ending his plan for a college scholarship. After this, Martinez decides that the army is for him.

Martinez is a prankster, full of good humor. But one of the things he learns in the army is “when you break the rules, you will be caught.” He spends a lot of time being ‘smoked’—doing endless push-ups and other drills. Once in Iraq, Martinez reflects on the strangeness of the country—how different it is than anything he’s ever experienced. But he is not there long before he is injured and shipped out for treatment.

Once Martinez begins his rehabilitation, he is reborn—this is a new life for him and he will succeed or fail based on his will and hard work. That he succeeds—in a larger-than-life way, wildly, improbably—is the crux if this story. His interviews with 60 Minutes and Oprah, his work on the soap opera All My Children and his eventual win on Dancing with the Stars are all sort of fantastical. But Martinez still regards his most important work as being a spokesman for the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio where he recovered from his injuries.

High school housekeeping: Martinez’s story is as much a coming-of-age tale as the story of overcoming an injury. He’s young, a bit immature, and directionless when he is injured. He grows up very fast. This biography is pretty short—about 240 (physically small) pages. The writing is very accessible, and most high school students should have no problems reading it. I think most will be inspired as well.

NOTE: This review is also posted on my blog School Library Lady.

[Carley Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think J.R.. Martinez's purpose for writing this book was to show people that no matter what struggles you go through you have to stay positive, be thankful and do nothing but push for your goal. As a kid he had many struggles that most kids/teens don't go through. His mother and him were living paycheck to paycheck hoping that was enough to get by. He stayed positive and kept pushing for what he wanted to do, which was play college football.
The theme in this story is probably to "always stay positive". He went through much as a little kid and stayed happy and did everything he could do to get to where he wanted to be. Even when he knew he wasn't going to graduate he pushed himself to the fullest and somehow pulled through and graduated with his class. After knowing he wouldn't be playing football after high school he continued to push and do something else with himself. When he got into his accident at first he was negative about everything but realized to get through it and move on he had to be positive.
He wrote this story with much detail, explaining what it was like all throughout his childhood and what he was going through during his basic training. As he would explain his strengths and weaknesses in life I felt somewhat a connection as if I was there with him.
I loved this book and thought it was a great book to read. It really taught me a lot about life and even though you can have a lot of negative things happening in your life you have to do nothing but continue to be happy for yourself and be the best person you know you can be. I haven't ever read a book like this before, it was different than most books I have read, but definitely left an impact on my life.

[Emily Yates · Rating 5 out of 5]

J.R. Martinez wrote a book called "Full of Heart." J.R. wrote this book to show people and inform people what he went through being in the army and also what he went through as a child. The kind of audience J.R. was reaching out to is wounded soldiers like himself and also people who had a hard time growing up.

The theme of the book is to look at the positive side of things and to not dwell in the past. J.R. was trying to say that even though he was burnt and went through all of that pain and suffering J.R. found a new love of speaking to people and acting. He also won a mirror ball trophy on Dancing with the Stars. This was a blessing in disguise.

This book is a narration, J.R. took the reader back to when he was a kid and his mother was a single mom who was struggling to pay the bills and put food on the table. He explained what he went through when he was trying to get into the army, what is was like to be over seas fighting for our country, and also when J.R. drove over a bomb on the side of the road while over seas and burned one third of his body and stayed in the hospital for 34 months. He also told the reader what he did afterwords and how it changed his life forever. The narration was very effective because now the reader knows what J.R. went through to get to where he is now.

I really liked this book, I don't read a lot of nonfiction books but I really liked this book. I liked that he wrote about his childhood, and what he went through growing up. I don't think in would change anything about this book. I have read some books that are similar to this book but I didn't like those books as much as I like "Full of Heart."

[Colby Mcbride · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think J.R.. Martinez's purpose for writing this book was to show people that no matter what struggles you go through you have to stay positive, be thankful and do nothing but push for your goal. As a kid he had many struggles that most kids/teens don't go through. His mother and him were living paycheck to paycheck hoping that was enough to get by. He stayed positive and kept pushing for what he wanted to do, which was play college football.
The theme in this story is probably to "always stay positive". He went through much as a little kid and stayed happy and did everything he could do to get to where he wanted to be. Even when he knew he wasn't going to graduate he pushed himself to the fullest and somehow pulled through and graduated with his class. After knowing he wouldn't be playing football after high school he continued to push and do something else with himself. When he got into his accident at first he was negative about everything but realized to get through it and move on he had to be positive.
He wrote this story with much detail, explaining what it was like all throughout his childhood and what he was going through during his basic training. As he would explain his strengths and weaknesses in life I felt somewhat a connection as if I was there with him.
I liked this book and thought it was a great book to read. It taught me a lot about life and even though you can have a lot of negative things happening in your life you have to do nothing but continue to be happy for yourself and be the best person you know you can be. I haven't ever read a book like this before, it was different than most books I have read, but definitely left an impact on my life.

[Doug · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book tells the story of JR Martinez, who I wadi introduced to when he won the Dancing with the Stars Championship a few seasons ago. I liked him on the show, but did not really know anything about him, so I wax curious to hear his story.

I enjoyed the book. It's an easy read - in fact during the early stages of the book I almost felt like he was writing to a juvenile audience. The story got much more interesting as he talked about his life immediately preceding and after the injury. At the end of the story, I was left wanting more. The appeal of his is story is the fact that he came from such humble beginnings, and were it not for an unfortunate accident just one month after he was deployed, he'd likely still be living a life of obscurity. I wanted to see, hear, feel, taste, etc. how that happened. I didn't get that he writes the story in such a way that the series of events that brought him to national recognition were just a matter of course.

Maybe he is just supremely confident in his abilities, but I suspect there had to be a sense of wonder (and a feeling of being overwhelmed by his sudden celebrity). That would have provided a little more of the human element to me. All in all, it's still a good read, just not as good as it could haven been.

[Kiera · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading this book, and am writing this through tears of joy. J.R. Martinez's book is so full of life, heart, spirit, courage, and strength, you feel it radiate through the book. It also shows the never-ending capacity of a mother's love. I truthfully admire his determination to live a full and normal life, in spite of abnormal circumstances; it takes a very special kind of person to be willing to put themselves on display to be gawked at, whispered about, in order to not only bring attention to burn patients, but wounded veterans as a whole. Too often, society will "oohhh & aahhh" when we see a wounded vet, but once the novelty wears off, that wounded vet still has to struggle not only with their injuries, they also have to work their way through financial ruin, homelessness, abandonment, and other issues. His presence commands your attention and demands that you not ignore the situation. His presence also gives others who have suffered a traumatic injury a chance to know that they can live as normal a life as possible, and that they have the right to do so.

I applaud J.R. Martinez for telling his story, and thank him for his service; he is indeed Full of Heart. I would recommend this book to everyone.

[Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and one reason may be that this young man is one of the most remarkable young men I have ever had the chance to encounter. He took what have been a devastating event that happened to him was he was serving our country and turned it entirely around. There are no words to describe how many lives he has effected in Dalton Georgia. We have had several famous or perhaps I should say infamous people come from our home town but he is the #1 that I am so proud of. When you finish this book you will have such a good feeling in your heart and so much respect for an American solider injured so severely they did not know what his life would be like. But that did not hinder him from being all that he could be. Dalton Georgia and Dalton High School is so proud of our local hometown. There are no telling how many young people he has influenced in his life time. I hate to just go on and on about JR but I just cannot help it. And my favorite part is the love he has for his mother. He treats her like a queen!!! And doesn't that just say the most about a young man, the way he treats his mother. So if you need an uplifting story -- read this book!!!

[Jasmine Holloman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like most, I became familiar with J.R. Martinez during his stint on Dancing with The Stars. From episode one, I became interested in his story, which led me to root for him to the very end.

So when I saw this book at my library's book fair, it was no question that I would buy it. Sadly, it was not as good as I thought it would be. There is no doubt that Martinez's story is one of strength and perseverance that anyone can admire. Yet, in this book that is overshadowed by Martinez's consumption with his looks and relationship with girls. The book would have been much better if it focused on the bigger picture, rather that minute details.

Along with that, Martinez tends to jump from subject to subject without any clear transition, which makes it hard to read.

It is not a must read, but if you have time to pass, it could be good.

[Holly Ites · Rating 1 out of 5]

I chose the book because of my commitment to Wounded Warriors Project. It's an easy read, good for taking on a trip. There were times I struggled with how I felt about J.R. I sometimes got the impression that everything in his life was just about him. About the time I thought that, he expressed it in the book. At other times, I felt he was a little full of himself. But, I guess a person would have to have a degree of cockiness to survive such an ordeal. Sometimes I felt he exploited his military connection to his own benefit. But, in the end, I decided, yeah, he's flawed. But, he definitely tore down some barriers for people who live with disfigurement. So, kudos to him.

[Sarah Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I heard about this book when I saw J.R. Martinez on CNN talking about the recent release of a US prisoner. I liked his honest approach and was interested to know more about his wounds.
At first this book was slow and to be honest, young J.R. was an annoying immature kid/teen who was constantly getting in trouble, but as he got older AND was injured, he found his stride and grew more respectful, sincere, and grateful. I was touched by his life story and his struggle to get back on to his feet. I was happy to see that he found his purpose in life.
I do recommend this book because it is very inspiring and heart warming. There were a few occasions where I teared up.

[Abbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full of Heart shows a true act of courage, and how one person fights through pain and judgement. J.R. has a backround of struggle. After all he went through he kept his positive outlook. The real test of courage was when he hit a bomb while deployed in Iraq, This book has a great message to the reader. The chapters were satisfying. I would only reccomend this book to middle school and up because it has some mature language. This book is a great example of the auto biography genre.It is a good message to readers everywhere. Full of Heart is a disrible book for all young adult readers!!!

[Jake Stark]

Full Of Heart by J.R. Martinez is a very inspiring story. J.R. was in the military and when he was only nineteen years old he was in an accident. This accident caused him to need over 30 surgeries to help his burns. He tells the story of his life before and after the accident and explains how his life has changed. He talks about how relationships have changed for him, but he never gave up on anything. J.R. stays strong and is now very successful. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in reading an amazing survival story.