Marine Cpl. Alex Miller listens as Leeann Tweeden, a TV presenter and magazine model, reads a letter addressed to troops from schoolchildren. (Ben Bloker / S&S)
Marine Cpl. Alex Miller listens as Leeann Tweeden, a TV presenter and magazine model, reads a letter addressed to troops from schoolchildren. (Ben Bloker / S&S)
Stephen Baldwin signs a copy of his book for Miller during a visit Wednesday to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. Baldwin is on the last leg of an Armed Forces Entertainment tour with singer Tony Orlando and other celebrities. (Ben Bloker / S&S)
LANDSTUHL, Germany — The stars didn’t exactly blind anyone at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center on Wednesday when a group of celebrities visited hospital staff and wounded troops.
Headlined by 1970s-era singer Tony Orlando, the group of celebs included Stephen Baldwin (best known for being actor Alec Baldwin’s brother), Leeann Tweeden (a former Hooters girl and sports show correspondent), and three former Miss America pageant winners.
Country music musicians played to the lunch crowd at Landstuhl’s dining facility.
The Miss America winners joked with 20-year-old Cpl. Alex Miller that they should have brought their daughters to visit the wounded Marine. Miller’s right leg was injured in a noncombat accident, and he was recovering in a Landstuhl bed Wednesday.
"I got all these Miss Americas in here," he said. "This place is awesome."
The women posed for photos with Miller, and Baldwin gave him a book and a skateboarding video.
Miller admitted he hadn’t heard of any of his visitors prior to their bedside meeting, but he got a kick out of it, nonetheless.
"I got Miss America pictures, books and stuff," Miller said. "I guess that’s Alec Baldwin’s brother or something."
Miller expressed gratitude for visitors coming by to thank him for his service.
"It makes you really appreciate what we do," he said. "Sometimes it seems like nobody really notices. It helps to know there are people out there who do notice, important people out there who notice."
Perhaps Miller’s best gift of the day was when Tweeden gave him an autographed photo of herself wearing a barely-there bikini from her March 2007 FHM cover shot.
When asked what his Marine buddies would think about his experience with Tweeden and the autographed photo, Miller’s reply brought laughs.
"They’re gonna wish they got broken legs," he said.
When asked what his wife would think about it, Miller replied sheepishly.
She won’t see it," he said.
