J.R. Martinez, Karina Smirnoff’s Emotionally Wrenching Performance on DWTS

It was a night to remember on Dancing With the Stars, as contestants chose routines inspired by the most memorable years of their life. Soldier turned actor J.R. Martinez and partner Karina Smirnoff dedicated their dance to all the soldiers in Iraq.

Martinez was badly injured by a landmine when he served in Iraq, when he was just 19. As the video below shows, he calls that period one of the darkest of his life, especially since he believed his life was truly over at one point.

Then came a breakthrough moment when he decided to fight, to be upbeat and face whatever obstacles life was throwing at him with a smile on his face – because others in his situation will probably never get that chance.

Because of this, he chose to dedicate his dance to the soldiers in Iraq, both those who have returned safely to their families and those who will never come back.

The two chose Tim McGraw’s hit song “If You’re Reading This,” a touching ballad about a wife who receives a letter from her husband, in which he lets her know that, if she’s reading this, he’s probably gone to heaven.

The dance was near perfect, as the judges also remarked at the end of it. More importantly, it managed to touch the members of the audience to the core, which translated into a round of applause that, for a short while, seemed would never end.

“That was one of the most profound, honest dances I’ve ever seen,” Carrie Ann Inaba said, fighting back tears and choking on emotions.

“I didn’t expect performances like this from you. It was a wonderful performance,” Len Goodman said, trying to point out the flaws of the routine as well, but stopping short at the first boos from the audience.

Bruno Tonioli agreed that the dance was the best of the night, saying, “You danced from your heart. I could feel every emotion.”

J.R. and Karina ended the night on a solid second place, getting 26 points for the routine you can also check out in the video below.