Couple’s 50-State Running Dream Touches Hearts

(Youngsville, LA) - A Youngsville couple was running half marathons in every state, but on one trip, the unthinkable happened: the husband passed away, very close to their 50-state dream being completed. You just can't imagine the pain and tragedy it has caused.

What can be written is the following: This is a love story.

This is a story of love for marriage, family, dedication, determination, and keeping the love of your beloved alive for the future.

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The Beginning of The Beautiful Love Story of Pam and Bubba

Pam Whittington and Wayne "Bubba" Begnaud met in high school; the beautiful, perky cheerleader and the handsome, horse-loving heartthrob were perfect for one another. What started long ago continued for decades, through marriage, children, and a grandbaby, careers, and life in general.

Building a Life Together

To understand Pam Begnaud and Bubba Begnaud is to love them. Pam was a dance instructor for years and eventually joined the sales staff at 97.3 the Dawg. Bubba cut a professional path through Lafayette to support his family, and we know his family at Coburn's misses him each day, too.

As their life unfolded, it was like every other life, full of all the ups and downs. In thick or thin, they toughed it out, living as a married couple, having and raising children, and living life to its fullest.

Pam Begnaud

As their careers progressed, Pam continued in local radio, and Bubba worked at Coburn's; the two began making plans for the future. What to do when they retired, well, it was time to run.

See, Bubba had started running for fun more than ten years ago and had fallen in love with it. Soon Pam followed in his footsteps, and then, right next to him, was Pam, and they were running half marathons. Throughout their lives, they were together.

Pam Begnaud

The Plan to Run 50 States

As they were camping one day in Arkansas and running in the southern states, she saw people running in all 50 states, and when she asked Bubba if he wanted to do that, he said, "Whatever you want, Pam." She says that about four years ago, they started really getting serious about this dream. They worked to book races close to one another so they could maximize their travel dollars.

Pam says,

The last goal we discussed was to become Looney Legends. During my research, I stumbled across a running company called Mainly Marathons run by 2 brothers, Jesse and Daniel Ruechert, that allows you to run all 50 states in 12 different series. We fell in love with the Mainly Family and began focusing on running every series to become Looney Legends. I should finish this goal in 2027.

They were off on their journey, running, enjoying the different states and spreading their love across America, often in Ragin Cajun attire. They ran their last race together; it was their 48th state on the list. This picture is from the 48th state.

Pam Begnaud

Then came Nebraska.

The Moment Everything Changed

Bubba fell asleep the night before the Nebraska marathon, and God called him home. Bubba passed away the night before the run of ventricular fibrillation.

Pam says,

Bubba was very healthy. This was a shock - Bubba woke up every morning saying 'How can I be of Service to others?'

What followed was the usual unbelievable sadness, grief, and utter disbelief. The death of your spouse takes you on a journey riddled with so much pain you almost can't bear it, but you must for the rest of your family.

How Their Children Helped Finish the Journey

When she came home, she told her children that the journey across the 50 states was over. She told them, "I'm done". The grief consumed her. The children told her, "Mom, you have to finish". They said, "We will run with you". Hunter, Jaden, and Ani have always been, and will continue to be, by their mom's side.

They did. She and the kids ran in Hawaii, which ended up becoming state 49, and finally the only place left.............Nebraska. As her last stop, they ran in Nebraska, fulfilling their dream.

The Running Community’s Emotional Support

She says the racing community surrounded them with love, and they continue to do so. In October, Pam will attend a banquet for their club, where a presentation will be made in her and Bubba's honor for completing the 50 states.

Pam Begnaud is not a quitter. So, next up, she is going to keep running to reach 100 races, and we all have no doubt she will do it.

Pam Begnaud

I'm not going to deny it; this was a hard story to write on so many levels for me. It's a love story that has one of those tragic cinematic endings on a screen, when you, as the viewer, feel like the movie chair you're seated in is completely pulled out from under you because he is not there physically at the end of the last two races.

How in the world can that happen? It doesn't make any sense.

This story is about two people and their family, whom I love. I was lucky enough to watch their children grow up, their marriage mature, and their dreams fulfilled, so it's hard to realize that no one will see Bubba's face again.

The one thing I know for sure is that this man loved his wife and family with every atom in his heart and soul, and he loved the Lord. He spread that love with countless people in need. He knew "his cup runneth over', and he poured out that love on his family, friends, people in need, and the love of family and the Lord was absolutely manifested anytime he walked into a room and smiled. He is truly one of those people whose smile lit up a room.

His heart and spirit will reverberate with every memory, conversation, story, prayer, and the love he passed on to countless people is the pebble in the pond.

Bubba is going to ripple forever. Their love will do the same.......through their children, their children's children, their other family, friends, coworkers, and the other lives Bubba touched with his story and journey.

Bubba was also an organ donor.

I know, without a shadow of a doubt, when he arrived at the pearly gates, he was greeted with these words from 2 Timothy 4:7: