The Iraq War veteran, motivational speaker, advocate and actor who won Dancing with the Stars this fall put on his dancing shoes to help other disabled vets Friday.
As the guest of honor at Lois Pope's the Lady in Red Ball at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, he was presented with the Unsung Hero Award.
JR and Karina
J.R. won for "overcoming devastating injuries to make a full life for himself and bringing the plight of three million living disabled veterans into our consciousness."
Martinez was asked to donate a dance at the event to the person who pledged $25,000 to benefit the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial. He obliged.
"I am truly honored to be here, because Lois Pope's mission to build this Memorial in Washington is so awesome for someone like me to see," Martinez told People.
Pope, the widow of the founder of the celeb gossip magazine National Enquirer, is currently financing the expansive memorial on 2.4 acres in Washington, D.C.
A donor, who pledged the money for the memorial, deferred to Pope, who enjoyed her dance with Martinez. "I am so thrilled to meet his charming man," Pope said.
"I voted for him on Dancing with the Stars and asked all my friends to do the same. I am tremendously honored and inspired to be in his presence."
Martinez, who took time to talk to everyone at the gala, was wounded in a 2003 land mine explosion in Iraq and required 33 surgeries over two years.
