J.R. Martinez and his girlfriend Diana Gonzalez-Jones are expecting their first child, a daughter, the recent "Dancing With the Stars" winner confirmed on Saturday.
"We found out just last week it's a girl and we are over the moon," Martinez told People magazine. "Diana has a little baby bump now and it's the cutest thing ever. With the holidays coming up, this is the biggest and best gift we could get."
The Iraq War veteran met Gonzalez-Jones after he landed a role on "All My Children" in 2008, when she was working as an assistant to the show's executive producer.
Martinez, 28, and Gonzalez-Jones became good friends on set of the soap opera and their friendship blossomed into romance last year.
"We were so good as friends that romantically, we just clicked right away. There was no adjustment period," Gonzalez-Jones told People earlier in the year.
Martinez is already embracing his new role, telling the weekly that fatherhood is "sinking in" and he is counting his blessings.
"2011 has been full of a lot of surprises and opportunities and ultimately, a lot of blessings," Martinez continued. "Diana and I were just asking ourselves, 'How is 2012 going to top 2011?' Well, we have our answer!"
The Louisiana native, whose full first name is Jose Rene, was deployed to fight with U.S. forces in Iraq in 2003 and suffered burns to more than 40 percent of his body after a Humvee he was driving hit roadside bomb. He has undergone more than 30 surgeries to repair the damage, which includes burns on his face and legs. Martinez became a motivational speaker and in 2008, began acting in "All My Children."
Martinez and his partner Karina Smirnoff beat out "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" star Rob Kardashian and talk show host Ricki Lake to win the top honors on the dancing competition show. It was also the first win for pro Smirnoff.
"It's crazy - I said to my mom last night, I was like, regardless of what happens - but still, to think eight and a half years ago, she was helping, teaching me how to walk and now I've been learning how to dance for the past 10 weeks," Martinez told OnTheRedCarpet.com after the show on November 22. I mean, it's amazing, the journey. It just shows that life is crazy, but you can make it, man."
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