Actor JR Martinez from All My Children won the Mirror Ball Trophy with dance pro partner Karina Smirnoff on Season 13 of Dancing With The Stars in 2011. Now he is also an Unsung Hero award winner thanks to Lois Pope’s Lady in Red Ball. The charity benefit organizers presented him with the award on December 2nd, 2011. He’s also co-hosting the CNN Heroes All Star Tribute, making him one of our favorite humanitarians to write about as a green celebrity.
It is always nice to start the writing day by sharing a little good news. Today, the feel good story from Hollywood is that actor and Veteran JR Martinez has been presented with the Unsung Hero Award. After winning the Dancing With The Stars mirror ball trophy with partner Karina Smirnoff, the soldier and burn victim’s face became handsome in the eyes of all who got to know him while he danced during Season 13 of DWTS in 2011.
People magazine reports, “Just because he won ABC’s Dancing with the Stars two weeks ago doesn’t mean injured Iraq war veteran J.R. Martinez can’t put on his dancing shoes to help other disabled vets. Martinez, 28, was guest of honor at Lois Pope’s the Lady in Red Ball at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club Friday night in Palm Beach, where he was presented with the Unsung Hero Award for “overcoming devastating injuries to make a full life for himself and in so doing bring the plight of America’s three million living disabled veterans into our country’s consciousness.”
Following a dreadful injury obtained while serving his country, JR Martinez took up acting. Landing a gig on the soap opera All My Children, he went on to become an inspiration to cast, crew, and all the viewers.
Since he’s become an even more famous face thanks to his participation with DWTS, JR now has a wonderful opportunity to tour the country as a guest speaker, to write a book about his journey, and to find the happiness he deserves in life. Hopefully, his wishes will come true, augmented by fame and fortune.
CNN has also confirmed JR Martinez (who has faithfully advocated for burn victim charities) will co-host the pre-show for the 5th annual CNN Heroes: An All Star Tribute. The special event show celebrates American service men and women, war heroes, and veterans.
Regarding the event that gives thanks to the American military members for their service to America (as a country), CNN shares:
Kid Rock will perform a special live version of “Care” from his platinum selling album, “Born Free”, on CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute, hosted by Anderson Cooper live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, CA, on CNN, Sunday, December 11, 2011 at 8:00 PM ET. In addition, CNN announced that Miley Cyrus has also been added as a celebrity presenter along with Dancing with the Stars winner, J.R. Martinez, The Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am, global maternal health advocate and founder of Every Mother Counts, Christy Turlington Burns, and NFL Super Bowl champ and MVP quarterback Kurt Warner, all of whom were confirmed last week. CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute honors individuals who are making extraordinary contributions to help improve the lives of others. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, the multiple Emmy
