New Book: Full of Heart: My Story of Survival, Strength, and Spirit by J.R. Martinez

Full of Heart: My Story of Survival, Strength, and Spirit is the inspiring true story of actor, motivational speaker, and former U.S. Army soldier, J.R. Martinez. Full of Heart chronicles Martinez’s incredible, and uniquely American journey through poverty, hardship, and tragedy, to his rise as a hero and media darling.

The inspiring true story of actor, motivational speaker, and former U.S. Army soldier, J.R. Martinez, Full of Heart chronicles Martinez’s incredible, and uniquely American journey through poverty, hardship, and tragedy, to his rise as a hero and media darling.

Full of Heart is an intimate and inspirational chronicle of J.R. Martinez’s life story. Martinez recounts his childhood in the South as the son of a single mother, a Salvadoran immigrant struggling to make ends meet. At the age of 17-showing the determination and drive that would become his trademark-Martinez convinced his mom to move to Georgia, where Martinez believed he would have a better chance of being recruited to play college football. 


But when Martinez’s football dreams collapsed and he didn’t have the financial resources or grades to attend college, he turned to the U.S. Army and soon found himself serving in Iraq.


In April 2003, at 19 years old, Martinez’s Humvee hit a landmine and he suffered severe smoke inhalation and disfiguring burns to over 40 percent of his body. Martinez was sent to the Army Burn Center in San Antonio, where he spent the next 34 months in grueling recovery. During this time, Martinez shared his experiences with other patients and listened to theirs. 


His fellow soldiers, along with the local and then national media, soon latched onto Martinez’s inspiring personality, leading to a career as a popular motivational speaker, daytime television star, and Dancing with the Stars contestant.


Full of Heart is Martinez’s entire and yet untold story-one that will attract his large fan base, as well as the many others who will find both his life and story utterly accessible and appealing. Martinez’s memoir of triumphing over extraordinary obstacles through pure resilience, optimism, and strength of spirit will inspire legions of people.

Spread the love

More Articles for You

Other Inheritances: Scent Memories from a Childhood at Fat’s Pet Shop in East Harlem

Before I ever knew what a perfumer was or that someone could make a living decoding and remixing scent, I …

Spread the love

Ghosts of the Palisades: Threads between memories, places and time

Somewhere tucked away, high on the Palisades, on lovely, dead end street, in the ether of the internet and Google …

Spread the love

Eight Goodbyes: Love, Loss, and the Six Years That Changed Everything

The first to die that year, the year before COVID-19 changed everything, was my aunt, Ruth or “Chin” as we …

Spread the love

How DNA, Haplogroups, and Genetic Markers Reveal Taíno Heritage

The Genetic Echoes of the Taíno People The Taíno people, the first known inhabitants of the Caribbean, have long been …

Spread the love

Unearthing the Invisible in Ben Brisbois’ Banana Capital: Unpeeling the Layers of Capitalism and Racism

The banana. Simple, ubiquitous, and unassuming. Yet, as Ben Brisbois reveals in his forthcoming Banana Capital, it’s anything but ordinary. …

Spread the love

Ditching The Algorithm: Why I Joined Bluesky (And You Should Too)

For years, social media has been both a megaphone and an equalizer, a place where anyone can share art, advocate …

Spread the love