J.R. Martinez is an Iraq war veteran. In 2003, he was serving as a Humvee driver for the U.S. Army when his left front tire hit a landmine. He suffered smoke inhalation and severe burns to more than 40 percent of his body.
During his 34 months of recouperation at the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas., Martinez became a motivational speaker, talking with other veterans.
And he joined the cast of ABC's "All My Children" as Brot Monroe, an Army veteran who was wounded in combat.
During the Monday night announcement Martinez said, as the New York Daily News reports:
"I just want people to take away that no matter through what war or battle that you are fighting, that through positive thinking, through a positive attitude you can overcome," he said. "I think all of us up here are going to prove that to the 40 million people that watch this show that we are going to push ourselves to go beyond what were thought possible."
