J.R. Martinez

Top speaker J.R. Martinez combines his experience as a New York Times bestselling author with acting and motivational speaking in addition to his work as a burn survivor. His life story has motivated audiences throughout the world since his birth in Shreveport, Louisiana, to a Salvadoran mother who raised him with military service values along with humility and determination. He joined the military after high school to provide service to the nation that had granted his family the opportunity. A roadside bomb explosion in April 2003 destroyed his Humvee while he remained inside and burned his body to a degree exceeding 34%. He needed more than thirty surgical procedures and survived three years of treatment.

J.R. found storytelling to be a healing force at Brooke Army Medical Center. He discovered that sharing his life experience could bring encouragement to others after he was asked to meet a fellow patient who saw his burns for the first time. The beginning of his career as a motivational speaker occurred when he started sharing his message with audiences across the world, including Fortune 500 companies, universities, military bases, healthcare organizations, and non-profits. Every time J.R. delivers a keynote address, he shares survival stories and shows how people grow through purpose and human resilience.

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