LAFAYETTE PARISH — On Global Running Day, one South Louisiana woman's story is about much more than miles. It's a story of love, loss and perseverance.
For years, Pam and Wayne "Bubba" Begnaud of Youngsville shared a goal: to run a half marathon in all 50 states together.
With only two states remaining, tragedy struck.
In November, the couple traveled to Lincoln, Nebraska, for what was supposed to be their 49th state. Instead, Bubba died unexpectedly during the trip.
"We arrived, everything was fine, we had supper, we watched a movie around 10 o'clock, we went to bed, and around midnight he started breathing, and I called an ambulance, and he passed away of ventricular fibrillation," Pam Begnaud said.
His death came just days before the couple planned to cross another finish line together.
"After Bubba passed, I wanted to stop and just give up, but my children wouldn't let me," she said.
While grieving the loss of her husband, Begnaud found support from her family and fellow runners. Her children joined her in Hawaii, the state that had been scheduled as the couple's final stop on their 50-state journey.
"I would expect nothing less from them, and I know that Bubba was encouraging us 100% to cross that finish line in Hawaii," she said.
Bubba was posthumously awarded a 50-state medal in recognition of the accomplishment he and his wife had nearly completed together.
Determined to finish what they started, Pam later returned to Nebraska, the place where their journey came to an abrupt end, and completed the race they never got to run together.
"It was a huge celebration," she said. "The runner friends that I have and that Bubba had, we were just comforted and they just made it so special for me. He was definitely present with me." Today, Pam continues to honor her husband's memory through running. Her next goal is to complete 100 half marathons by October.
She also hopes to achieve another milestone the couple once pursued together: becoming "Looney Legends."
"We're trying to keep his legacy alive," Pam said. "Bubba woke up every morning and he said, 'How can I be of service to others today?' That was his service. That was his mission every morning, and we're trying to live that."
In October, Begnaud plans to attend a banquet where she and her late husband will be honored for completing half marathons in all 50 states.
