After death, Bonnafon says 'I'll play for him'

Wallace Bonnafon's hamburgers were so delicious that they got their own name: Wally Burgers. They included eggs, onions, salt, pepper and some secret ingredients. Louisville freshman quarterback Reggie Bonnafon recently brought some teammates to his family's home, and Wallace bragged about the burgers. He said he would make them next time.

On Sunday night, after the Cardinals returned from their 23-21 loss at Virginia, Reggie visited his parents. They laughed and watched the Miss America pageant and talked about the football game. Then the son hugged his father and went back to campus.

"The last thing he told me was, 'Tell your boys I haven't forgotten about them,'" Reggie said. "He felt bad he hadn't made his burgers for them yet."

On Monday morning, Wallace Bonnafon woke up, kissed his wife Rosalind and went to his regular dialysis appointment. He drove himself, and that was usually a sign that he felt good.

After he arrived, though, he had chest pains and shortness of breath. He was having a heart attack. He lost consciousness and seven attempts were made to revive him, but Wallace Bonnafon was later pronounced dead at Baptist Health Hospital. He was 51 years old.

Suddenly, football didn't matter to Reggie. He'd lost his father. He'd lost his best friend.

"I could talk to him about anything," Reggie said. "It does mean a lot to know that he saw me doing well. He saw me score my first touchdown, and things like that. I can always remember those moments."

Wallace and Rosalind met when they sang in the Highland Park Baptist Church choir together as children. Wallace was Rosalind's escort when she was named homecoming queen, and Rosalind was Wallace's date at the Shawnee High senior prom.

The two drifted apart, but later reconnected after other relationships ended. They eventually married and had Reggie, and life seemed perfect.

Wallace worked as a security guard at Churchill Downs for 10 years, but he always made time to coach Reggie's youth-league baseball and football teams.

"The dedication Wallace put into being with him every step of the way," Rosalind said, "it was just an indelible impression that he left."

Reggie emerged as a star wide receiver and quarterback at Trinity High School, and his father was ecstatic. When the bus arrived at away games, Wallace was usually waiting by the door. The two would often go home afterward and watch highlights on the local news.

In April of 2013, Reggie's junior year, Wallace began undergoing dialysis treatments for kidney disease. Still, he kept his job working with at-risk youth at Buechel High, an alternative school in Louisville.

"He had a heart for wanting to help people," Rosalind Bonnafon said. "He felt like he was born to help people, and he liked trying to keep kids on a positive path."

Reggie's focus, meanwhile, turned to his father. He took care of strenuous tasks around the house and drove Wallace to some dialysis appointments. Reggie did not reveal this during his recruitment, but he chose UofL partly so he could be closer to him.

Dialysis slowly took a toll on Wallace, and last spring he stopped working. Still, he would not miss his son's college football career. Wallace was at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium on Sept. 6, when Reggie threw for 112 yards and a touchdown and ran for two more scores after replacing Will Gardner against Murray State.

"It meant the world to him to see his son out there," Rosalind said.

"I'm just blessed I had the opportunity to have him see me play," Reggie said.

Wallace and Rosalind watched the Virginia game at a cousin's house in Louisville last Saturday. The following evening, Reggie stopped by for the visit, and the day after that, his father was gone. It happened so suddenly that when Reggie heard the news, he said: "But mom, I was just there."

"I told Reggie that his dad left a happy man," Rosalind said, "because he was able to see his baby boy fulfill a dream that they both had."

The Bonnafons have been overwhelmed by the community's support this week. Reggie said his UofL teammates have been particularly helpful. He has not practiced, and on Saturday, as the Cardinals face Florida International in Miami, Reggie will be at his father's funeral.

He plans to attend team meetings on Sunday and ease back into a routine, but he knows his heart will be heavy.

"When I come back, I'm coming back harder than ever," Reggie said. "I'll play for him."

Wallace recently brought his son a new wristband as a gift. Reggie was slightly dismissive at first, because fathers generally don't give cool wristbands to their teenage sons. But Wallace was excited about it, so Reggie listened. The band said: "Know the rules. Play the game. Own your destiny."

Reggie smiled and slid it on, and has hardly taken it off since. And now when he wears it, on a football field or elsewhere, he will think of his father more than ever.

Wallace Bonnafon's funeral will be held at Highland Park Missionary Baptist Church. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the church's Reginald P. Gradnigo Scholarship Fund.

Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at 502-582-4372 by email ahimmelsbach@courier-journal.com and on Twitter @adamhimmelsbach