He has been a beacon of hope for thousands of veterans, forging a successful TV career and remaining positive in the darkest of times.
But today, former Royal Marine Lance Corporal JJ Chalmers admits the comrades he lost are never far from his thoughts.
JJ, who survived a 2011 bomb blast in Afghanistan that killed two of his friends, says: “I pinch myself every day. The day I don’t is the day I don’t deserve to sit in this chair any more.”
The 35-year-old Scot, who will be co-presentng the BBC’s daily Commonwealth Games highlights show next week, told how he thinks about Ollie Augustin and Sam Alexander every day.
Get all the latest news sent to your inbox. Sign up for the free Mirror newsletter
They died in the same explosion that left JJ with life-long injuries.
He admits: “There’s not a day that goes by where I don’t miss them. When I reach the pearly gates, I hope they’re waiting with a beer for me, saying, ‘You know what, mate, you’re doing all right’.
“For the families of those that we lost, I’m always conscious of them.
"Some came to visit me in hospital and all I wanted to say was how incredible their son was. But I also didn’t want to rub salt into a wound.
"They have been so supportive. They’ve said, ‘Sam and Ollie would be incredibly proud of everything you’ve achieved.’ All I am in some ways is just a nice, shiny example of what is possible.
"My recovery is obvious because you can see it, whereas I know guys – pretty much every veteran I went through recovery with – who are achieving things just as great as I am. The only difference is they are doing it in other areas… in charities and businesses.”
JJ, who was also on the presenting team for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, told how he lives with chronic pain brought on by his injuries and will need more surgery in future.
The dad of two and Invictus Games medallist, who is a friend of Prince Harry, says: “There are days when my disability gets the better of me. I used to blow doors off their hinge for a living. Now I can’t open them.
“I was essentially like a heroin addict when I first came out of hospital because I was in so much pain. But now I’m trying CBD oil and alternatives and I just live with that pain. It’s the side-effect of being alive, so I’ll take it!”
Follow the Commonwealth Games across BBC TV, radio and online from July 28.
