Demo Content From The National Team
Nov 12, 2009 3:33 pm US/Eastern
Facebook Campaign Helps Marine Meet Taylor Swift
DENVER (AP) ―
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Singer Taylor Swift arrives at the 2008 American Music Awards held at Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE on Nov. 23, 2008, in Los Angeles.
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
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Musician Taylor Swift accepts the award for Entertainer of the Year onstage during the 43rd Annual CMA Awards at the Sommet Center on Nov. 11, 2009 in Nashville, Tenn.
Rick Diamond/Getty Images
A newly-started Facebook campaign is trying to create a meeting between a wounded Denver Marine and country star Taylor Swift, reports CBS station KCNC-TV.
Cpl. Evan Stratton is recovering at Camp Pendleton after being injured in Iraq and receiving the Purple Heart.
Stratton's mission in Iraq started March. He had been with a team of Marines working with Iraqi police and his convoy got caught in an ambush. An anti tank grenade blew up near him and seriously wounded him.
After the ambush Stratton was brought to the California base, where he is recoving from nerve damage and battle scars.
Like most Marines, Stratton is tough and battle tested and says would go back to Iraq in a minute if he could. He's got a soft spot, though, and it's for a country music star.
Stratton's sisters are now trying to get Swift, his favorite singer, to meet him. They recently started the Facebook page, which they titled "Taylor Swift Help Heal A Wounded Marine."
More than 1,000 people have joined the effort.
"From the beginning Evan has always been a dedicated Taylor fan," his sisters write on the Facebook page. "He is always listening to her music, and singing at the top of his lungs no matter who is listening. Everywhere he goes he has the Taylor Swift CD with him and when given any opportunity to listen to music..Taylor is there."
Stratton told CBS4 in a phone call from Camp Pendleton that he's a little shy about all the attention.
"I like Taylor Swift, it's kind of embarrassing, but I was like 'Oh, she's a pretty looking girl so I just like her.' I like country music," he said.
Stratton's parents Dawn and Stan told CBS4 their son has a "warrior's heart." They said they initially tried to talk him out of joining the Marines, but are proud of his service.
"The (Marines) know what it means to love God and country, and they know that they are making a difference regardless of what anyone else might tell them," Dawn said.
Stratton said he's looking forward to starting college after the Marines. He said he wants to study medicine.
KCNC is working with radio station KYGO to try to make Stratton's dream a reality. Swift brings her tour to Denver in April and KYGO is a sponsor.
(© 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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