Soap opera actor and Iraq War veteran J.R. Martinez took home the trophy for the 13th season of “Dancing with the Stars” on Tuesday night.
Martinez, 28, was severely wounded in combat when the Army Humvee he was driving hit a landmine when he was just 19 years old. He suffered burns on 40 percent of his body, including his face.
After recovering, Martinez became a motivational speaker and joined the cast of the ABC soap opera “All My Children” in 2008.
“I’m going to continue acting and motivational speaking,” Martinez told the Zap2It blog. “I want to continue to share, not just this experience, but every experience that I’ve been through in my life with as many people as I can.”
Martinez and his dancing partner, Karina Smirnoff, beat out finalists Ricki Lake and Rob Kardashian for the prize.
WATCH: