Returning for his third visit to the Villages, Fox News personality Brian Kilmeade drew a large crowd of fans Saturday at Barnes & Noble at Lake Sumter Landing.
He arrived in Florida’s Friendliest Hometown to sign copies of his new book, “Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates: The Forgotten War that Changed American History.”
For the first time, Kilmeade was joined by his co-author of the book, Don Yaeger, who traveled all the way from Tallahassee.
Stuart Jorgenson, who was visiting from South Dakota, was the first person in line.
A lot of the supporters in line were seeing Kilmeade for the second or third time. They had seen him at a 2014 book signing or the Sept. 19, 2011 event in which “Fox and Friends” originated from Lake Sumter Landing Market Square.
Gini Schwin of the Village of Springdale came armed with a photo of Kilmeade with a Gatorland alligator taken during the 2011 visit. She also presented the author with a pack of all the photos she took that day.
Traveling all the way from Ocoee, first-year college student and aspiring journalist Peyton Meehan was accompanied by his parents Robert and Angela Meehan. Meehan hopes of one day being a famous news anchor himself.
Many purchased books for themselves or as special gifts for others, such as Paul Emberger of the Village of Ashland who purchased a copy for his son-in-law, a former Navy captain.
Die-hard Fox News fan Cathy Johnson of the Village of Springdale, expressed much excitement in seeing her favorite TV personality and says she watches and records Fox News every day.
Helen Rivel of the Village of Virginia Trace gave Kilmeade a Villages mug as a keepsake.
During the course of the signing, Alyson Mansfield, producer of Kilmeade’s radio show, captured live video for Kilmeade’s Facebook page, which can be seen here: https://www.facebook.com/Kilmeade/videos/10153367533417711/ .
After two hours of signing books, Kilmeade prepared for his next stop in Tallahassee and was unfortunately unable to tour around the Villages. However, Kilmeade was yet again impressed with and thankful for the huge turnout of supporters at his second book signing and said that Villagers just “keep looking better and younger” every time.
