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The Army veteran, burn-victim survivor and motivational speaker J.R. Martinez says new book “Full of Heart” sends message to stay strong, positive...
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-- -- you're watching Fox News Latino dot com I'm Brian -- he's an army veteran soap opera star turned 2011 Dancing With The Stars champion.
A motivational speaker and now -- author the awe inspiring JR Martinez in the studio.
Pay you for joining me today today and that includes every year -- thank you you -- -- new book is entitled full party come it came out October 30.
What what what would you hope to accomplish that right -- -- look at what was ours.
Our forests.
The biggest thing I wanted to columns are right in this book this is to tell my whole story is for people to really understand that there's more to me than just a -- that that.
Where it was in the military they got it was injured the -- smiles all the time I want people to kind of really see a full dimension that we did you know that there has been -- there has been pain you know.
I was and always smiles you know I I came from a tough place you know -- to really show people that.
It was -- just by Iraq Iraq was the big thing in my life but there was a lot of small things that happened to me in my life as a kid that -- -- to straight to be prepared for this big explosion.
And it really was -- difficult for me to revisit.
Essentially my side of the story.
I think it was tough for me was to be able to -- my what my mother has been through -- to tell her story because you know she's from El Salvador.
You know came here looking for the dream raised me working hard barely knew that the language and English and and it just to hear everything she went through you know into into replay -- in my head it was it was that was the hard part for me.
You know.
A lot of people know about your injury and what you've talked about obviously you were driving -- in 2003.
Car bomb goes off you get trapped yes and 34% of your body.
-- burned there.
I found is -- the answer that you had publicly -- website.
And you get into your family life and again into your mother's side and I particulate dates but you have right now.
On the -- -- it says here it says my mom's quiet tears dissolved in some muffled sounds this is after she has just found out when it happened to.
My -- quiet tears dissolved in the muffled sobs my son isn't going to make -- she thought.
And if he doesn't I -- everyone at work knew if -- lost me.
They lose her if anyone took me away from her she had no reason -- so I've found that.
Deeply you know deeply just emotional and you can kind of you can just read off the page you relation between your mother and you -- -- It's strong as strong I mean it is you know this -- my father left and I was -- -- -- You know but -- It's been -- the whole time you know she was my mother but she was also my father in a lot of ways you know she.
You know and I would come home and say mom talking about football -- talking about you know boys trying to pick on the or try to -- a girl whatever was things that guys boys and normally talk to a male role model their fathers are uncle or somebody.
She was the person I was I was giving me the best advice and we have such an amazing relationship you know we have such an amazing.
-- -- another you know I love her dearly and and she loves me dearly and you know -- and and when I was trapped inside that truck in Iraq I literally.
Pitcher -- given her flag and understanding and knowing that if I died.
She ultimately as well and so it was a lot of what I do today I mean I have several -- you know.
Inspiring things that kind of keep me going every single -- but the main reason the number one reason I do what I do every single day is to try.
To to make my mother happy and for her to every single -- see me smiling and see me doing great things with my life and I think that if I'm able to continuously do this.
Over time those scars that she has -- her heart you know we'll kind of be.
Covered up a little bit you know they won't ever go away they'll always be there but in some way -- -- and and and and that music is really important -- -- -- -- that.
This book on -- -- in your life outside of the injury and all that obviously talking about your mother and the immigrant experience.
As a second and third generation for generation Hispanic American in this country.
Writing this book did you find going back into your life you did he touch the Hispanic -- was that was that kind of a moving thing for you.
Yeah it really was I mean because you know I -- -- Salvador when I was a kid for the first time -- six years old and I went for five times up until I was seventeen years old so.
You know even growing up you know being here in the United States I got a taste of that you know of what it's like of you know I would go and I received my sister and she wouldn't have the things that I had here my cousins wouldn't have the same things and so.
When he came to do with a book you it was really nice to kind of tap into -- -- my heritage of my roots where I come from.
And and and and just do it to to wrap it all up intent of the day elect I always say I was completely useless a lot of things in this thing about being that's what I am I am -- -- 100%.
You know I'm grateful for the opportunity to to it is to be born here in to have the opportunity to go out and and and make a life for myself but -- in the day -- -- -- Big part of who you are obvious he's motivational speaking what and what you do.
You talk a lot about recovery.
And a big war for you was it wasn't necessarily the accident but it was recovering.
From that accident I'll.
Right now much of the country is dealing with the -- -- in dealing with recovering from that.
What kind of things can you can you kind of -- kind of wisdom that you can -- from your experience.
It's you know.
My story is about change you know and an unexpected change a lot of unexpected changes happen in my life and what I've been able to do as typical -- and it's hard is it time to work in my life personally what I've been able to implement.
Is to understand it is to believe.
And and believe that everything will work out everything will be okay is to not to quit is to stay positive as much as possible and to have faith.
And I've implemented those things into my life in over time I've been able to see the bit.
Be the opposite of failure the opposite of sadness you know.
I've been in the two experienced that and and being here in New York you know and and actually you know seen people go through sandy and and and and everything that -- The rebuilding process it's really difficult it's unexpected changes they've had to go to but I just say to them.
Stay strong you know there's a lot of resources out there that are trying to help every single one of you.
Continue to believe.
You know never -- stay positive as much you can is typical of it is stay positive because I guarantee you that you will be back on your feet and you know everybody affected by this hurricane.
Won't soon forget about it will be able to kind of back to -- normal routine hopefully.
It's a strong message and you know -- these kind of messages you can trying different mediums again you know whether it's and so -- threw ninety -- acting and being out there.
You are also part of a documentary called trial by fire yes about burn victim yes I talk a little doubt that his -- supports -- Well you know it's really important for me because I was nineteen years old when this injury happened to me and of course you know we're -- used to -- -- -- the like this now you look at me now and you say -- it's not so bad you know -- this -- after nine and a half -- time of -- and when you first -- -- -- in the -- and it was a -- -- -- it was a big moment for -- -- -- -- -- a lot more open -- I mean.
Parts of my face was limit sagging more I mean there's pictures in the book that -- -- I've -- I've really never shared that.
People like oh my god that's that's kind of trees and a look at -- so.
For me I represent a lot of burn survivors you know whether it's kids whether it's adults no matter how you were burned burned recovering from burns is one of the most difficult -- one of the most of us and it's the most difficult thing.
An and for me it's important to its ability part of his documentary you know its allies before trial by fire it's really tell that story burns about that it -- the -- We should not be -- prior starts we're still and -- -- human beings I still -- -- its humor I still love to laugh I salute the joke rap I still feel pain.
And you know today I still want to date I still wanna have.
Any kind of normal life and it's also wrote to tell the story and educate people at the end of the day this is normal to us.
This is normal you know they went to -- JR is that's not normal this is normal to me.
And what with the -- -- is normal to you the -- a look at normal to me and to accept -- another and to be able to educate people that in the today.
What -- of -- go through but it in the game.
You know the burn -- he is on the surface it doesn't really affect -- we aren't inside.
It's a powerful message I want to thank you for being here -- -- team effort and you remember if you really want to get this book.
About just the power of the human spirit.
About being courageous about going through the tough things a lot -- all of -- have to go through.
I go get this book is called full Clark became October 30 and its own shows now that thank -- -- and for more stories like this nation to continue to go to Fox News Latino.
Dot com.
