By Brian Santhumayor

New Jersey, May 11, 2009: "Who Says You Can't Go Home" was Bon Jovi’s song that became the theme song of the New Jersey Tourist Board and which also brought New Jerseyans from all over the United States to NJPAC in Newark to celebrate the induction of 14 members into the New Jersey Hall of Fame. I had the privilege of attending the star-studded gala and seeing the celebrities for whom I have tremendous respect.

Created in 2005 by State Legislation, the New Jersey Hall of Fame is a nonprofit organization that honors natives who have significantly contributed to the state and the world at large. The first fifteen Hall of Famers, inducted last year, included Bruce Springsteen, Toni Morrison and Buzz Aldrin. This year's inductees included Bud Abbott & Lou Costello, Jon Bon Jovi, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Althea Gibson, Jerry Lewis, Guglielmo Marconi, Phil Rizzuto, Paul Robeson, Carl Sagan, Walt Whitman, William Carlos Williams and Senator Bill Bradley. Some of the other notables in attendance were last year's inductees Buzz Aldrin, Yogi Berra and Toni Morrison, along with Sopranos actor Vincent Pastore, comedians Jim Norton and Rich Vos, rock star Debbie Harry, actor, singer and musician Avery Brooks, and former New York City Mayor, David Dinkins.

Governor Jon Corzine who welcomed the audience and inductees said, "We have incredible people that do incredible things in this state. Celebrating New Jersey is a terrific thing that we all do, and we'll continue to do."  The biggest surprise of the evening was when General David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander overseeing troops in Pakistan and Afghanistan walked to the podium in his uniform decorated with medals to confer the Hall of Fame's first Unsung Hero Award on a young soldier from Howell.  All of us in the audience rose to our feet and gave him a long-standing ovation.  The inaugural award was presented to U.S. Army 1st Lt. Brian Brennan, a tremendously courageous soldier and a role model in overcoming unthinkable personal challenges. Petraeus said he first met Brennan, now 25, at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C. The soldier was in a coma, having suffered an acute brain injury, a collapsed lung, internal bleeding, a ruptured spleen, multiple compound fractures of his left arm and the amputation of both legs. As Brennan walked onto the stage on prosthetic legs, we all once again rose to our feet and give him the longest standing ovation of the evening. I was full of admiration for this brave young soldier who sacrificed so much for the love of his country.  A visibly moved Brennan said, "I accept this award for all the good, hardworking Americans who do not receive honors. I did only what a patriotic American would do."

The award was also given posthumously to poet Walt Whitman, Nobel Prize winner Guglielmo Marconi, who pioneered wireless technology, comedy duo Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, Althea Gibson, the first African-American to win a Grand Slam tennis event, Yankees shortstop and announcer Phil Rizzuto, writer F. Scott Fitzgerald and poet William Carlos Williams. Among those who received the award in person were former U.S. senator Bill Bradley, who was elected to the Hall of Fame last year but could not attend the ceremony, and the biggest attraction of the evening – Jon Bon Jovi.  Governor Corzine introduced Jon Bon Jovi as "Mr. Jersey” and the crowd went into raptures.

Jon Bon Jovi graciously accepted the award and said, "I also like to express my gratitude to Lt. Brian Brennen for his bravery and for exemplifying everything that is good about New Jersey. New Jersey is the place where I was born, the place where my father, my wife and our children were born. It’s where I first walked, talked and learned to play a guitar, and someday, it will be the place they’ll lay my bones to rest."

Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, an American aviator and astronaut who was the Lunar Module pilot on Apollo 11, the first lunar landing and is another Hall of Famer, presented Carl Sagan's award to his widow and two sons. Carl Sagan was a famous American astronomer, astrochemist, author, and highly successful popularizer of astronomy, astrophysics and other natural sciences. He pioneered exobiology and promoted the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI). Aldrin joked that while astronauts like him like to do all the fun stuff, like drink Tang or walk on the moon, brilliant people like Carl Sagan helped to inspire everyone.

It was a night that I will never forget. The famous bands LaBamba and the Hubcaps provided the musical entertainment and were joined by Southside Johnny, Gary U.S. Bonds and Kat DeLuna. Like the Jon Bovi Song "Never Say Goodbye", I know in my heart that I would be back to attend the next year's awards.