Last night, we took the family to hear Jill Stevens speak. Make that Sergeant Jill Stevens who is Utah's own GI Jill--a feisty blond Utah National Guard combat medic/beauty queen.
Yeah. You're right. It's not often you see the words combat medic and beauty queen in the same sentence. But Jill is not your typical guardsman; nor is she your typical beauty queen. She's refreshing. A real down-to-earth, good old-fashioned American hero.
As expected, she was an engaging speaker. We all thought she was gorgeous, both inside and out. We all laughed. We all cried. Her journey from combat medic in Afghanistan to the stage of the Miss America Pageant was fascinating. That she nailed the spot as America's favorite was no surprise, even to those who didn't see the pageant. Her story, her faith, made everyone want to stand a little taller. Even the young men in the audience listened attentively--really.
Some even shed a tear.
And, anyone with the least desire to become a better person and serve humankind had those desires polished to a new luster. Jill possessed a contagious optimism that crossed any and all boundaries. She was the girl next door who made it through the desperation of war in Afghanistan and landed on her feet at the Miss American Pageant. You couldn't help but want to cheer for her.
Thank you, Jill, for a wonderful evening.
Jill's new book, It's All Good, details her her story. For more info click here.
2 comments:
I WANT her to speak and cannot figure out how to contact her... do you have the name/number of the person who got her to speak for you?
I don't have the info for the person who got her to speak--however I believe Jill is still involved with The Afghan Orphan Project. You can visit their website at: http://www.taoproject.org/aboutus.htm. Her bio is the last one listed. The contact info for the group is in the right sidebar.
Hope this helps!
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