State Trooper remembered as a hero
October 15, 2013Cajun Fly-in set for Saturday
October 15, 2013
If Carol Brunet of Dularge could shake late Terrebonne Parish Tax Assessor Gene Bonvillain’s hand, he no doubt would have done it on Monday.
“I like my new chair,” said Brunet, who suffers from prostate, metastatic-bone and bone-marrow cancer. “I can’t wait to sit in it.”
Money from the Gene Bonvillain Pericardial Research Fund was used to purchase a special recliner that will help Brunet stand up from sitting. Brunet, whose bones are weak due to cancer, was having trouble getting out of his old recliner.
Several members of Brunet’s family, including daughter Anita Pellegrin, were at the man’s home when workers from Louis Mohana Furniture delivered the $788 chair.
“He likes to sit in the living room,” Pellegrin said. “He was always sitting in there in his old recliner. We are very excited that he will have a chair that will help him get up. He just turned 84 in September.”
Bonvillain’s daughter Stephanie Autin and his widow Darlene Bonvillain were also on hand for the happy event.
“My dad was all about Terrebonne Parish,” said Autin, who is vice president of the fund. “We wanted to do something to honor him, so we started the fund. He did business with local vendors because he knew it would help the people here.
“Some people in south Louisiana are going through hard times, and they may need help taking care of things. Our family made the decision to help Mr. Brunet.”
In 2011, Bonvillain, a native and resident of Houma, passed away almost unexpectedly from pericardial mesothelioma at 66. He had served as a public official in Terrebonne Parish for 40 years and was known throughout the community.
After receiving a call from staff at the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center at Terrebonne General Medical Center, Autin reached out to Pellegrin to see how the fund could be of assistance to the family.
“At first the family wanted to build an elevator for him, but (then) they wanted to get him a chair,” Autin said. “I’d like to thank the people at Louis Mohana Furniture for delivering the chair. They don’t make deliveries on Monday, but they made an acceptation for us.”
“We only have one fundraiser each year, the fishing tournament, to help raise money for the fund,” Darlene said. “This chair will really help Mr. Brunet a lot.”
Those wishing to donate to the fund may do so at www.gbmesofund.com.
