My name is Rachel.  I met Bon Jovi when I was a senior in high school at New Braunfels High School in New Braunfels, Texas in January 1989.  The local radio station was running a contest to win Bon Jovi/Skid Row tickets.  In order to win, you had to write in with the most outrageous thing you would do to meet the band.  My idea (thankfully they didn't make me do it for real) was to run naked through San Antonio's largest mall with hamsters strapped to my body and a parrot on my shoulder. 

The day the winner was to be announced, I joked with my friend that if I won, I would take her with me.  During my first period history class, I got a message from the office to call home immediately.  I called home to find out that the radio station had called to tell me I won!!!!  I was shaking all over.  This was a Monday and that Friday was the concert! 

I told my friend, Sherie, that we were going to Bon Jovi in a limo, with front row seats and back stage passes and she almost fainted!  I don't know how I made it through the week.  The whole school knew about it.  My mom let me take Friday off from school to go to the mall and get a new outfit and by the time the limo got there, I was a nervous wreck! 

We got to go backstage before the show and met Jon, Richie, David and Tico (didn't meet Alec).  I got pictures of me with Jon (which I would send but don't have a scanner) and my friend had a huge crush on Richie, so she got pictures with him.  Tico gave us some drumsticks, too.  It was rather hectic, we didn't party with them or hang out or anything, but it was a dream come true for me.  We had front row seats and I swear to this day that Jon sang right to me, he was phenomenal. 

He tossed me a rose which I have pressed in a photo album and my friend, Sherie, and I wasted 20 pictures on my dog in order to have our film processed in one hour the next day so we could relive the night.  At my high school reunion last year, my classmates were still talking about it.  Bon Jovi has always been my favorite band and as we all get older, they still get better!