iPods for Soldiers

Saw this in People Magazine:

Rock-and-roller Stevie Nicks passes out hundreds of iPods to soldiers who were wounded in Iraq

From Stevie Nicks journal:

I haven’t written in my journal for weeks. That is very unlike me…I think it is because my last 3-day trip to Bethesda, Walter Reed and Arlington National Cemetery deeply affected me. It happens every time I go~

It actually leaves me speechless…

Each time I go I find out more about the war thru these young peoples’ eyes. One boy said – “Don’t idolize us~ at the point of battle we are just fighting to keep our friends alive~ Iraqi and American… I guess that is what we would all do. You are on a team~ and the Iraqi people are lovely~ and you bond. You are emotionally touched by something every day and in simple terms, you feel that you are helping. That is what freedom means to them and they are willing, everyday, to risk their lives for it.

So, as Mick and I went from room to room delivering their tiny iPod~ they told us their stories. Mick became his tall, loving, father figure, English self~ taking in every word they said~ remaining calm (at least on the outside) inspiring them. We floated from room to room down thru the halls of the 2 hospitals over a three-day period. We gave out all our iPods. Right before I left for D.C., Stephen Tyler and Joe Perry dug into their pockets and came up with $10,000 for me. In my eyes they went from the coolest rock stars to generous great men~ as my press agent Liz Rosenberg said~ every returning wounded soldier should be given an iPod. It will be an integral part of their recovery.

See Stevie's journal for the rest.