Dancing with the Stars winner chronicles his journey in a Martin Luther King Day Jr. event at Advocate Christ Medical Center.
On a day when the nation reflects on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his dream for America, a standing-room-only audience in Oak Lawn heard from a young man whose dreams were once blown apart by a roadside bomb in Iraq. J.R. Martinez, whose world was turned upside down in 2003 when he was badly burned after his Army Humvee burst into flames, has become a national and even international celebrity of sorts—partly for his suffering and sacrifice, but more for the inspiring, step-by-step recovery he has made—which has included a “Dancing With the Stars” triumph seen by tens of millions of TV viewers. Connect with Patch: Evergreen Park / Beverly-Mt. Greenwood / Oak Lawn In Chicago as a motivational speaker and to promote his book…
Famed author, actor and Iraq War veteran delivers inspirational speech at Advocate Christ Medical Center's annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. birthday celebration on Jan. 21.
Dancing With the Stars champion, actor and army veteran J.R. Martinez will be the keynote speaker at the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration at Advocate Christ Medical Center on Jan. 21. Martinez won the hearts of millions of television viewers nationwide after placing among the top celebrity elites on season 13 of Dancing With the Stars. Championship dancing has been just one of many achievements for the Iraq War veteran who was severly injured in combat. After overcoming his injuries, Martinez became a successful actor and for three years played the role of Brot Monroe on the Emmy Award-winning soap, All My Children. Martinez is a highly-sought and popular motivational speaker, as well as a New York Times-best selling …
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Kenny Williams
9:07 am on Monday, January 21, 2013
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