By Dick Jerardi
A Renaissance Man can be defined in several ways. At its essence, it is somebody with many talents. By any definition, Sal DeBunda was a classic Renaissance Man.
Attorney, Philly Pops Board of Directors and President, author of Act 71 which passed in 2004, essentially saving horse racing and ensuring its prosperity in Pennsylvania, horse owner, member of the Pennsylvania Racing Commission, president of the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, the only two-time member of the Parx Hall of Fame (owner, special achievement), co-founder of Let’s Go Racing, food connoisseur, joke teller, father, grandfather.
That was DeBunda who passed away July 9, just 23 days after family and friends celebrated his 83rd birthday at the Wallingford home of his daughter Lauren Shank, husband Neil and their three children.
His friends who came to the birthday party knew we were saying goodbye as Sal had a terminal illness. But it was an uplifting afternoon as stories were told and food from Sal’s beloved Macaroni’s in Northeast Philly was consumed.
From South Philly to St. Joseph’s Prep, to Penn’s Wharton School and Penn Law, DeBunda was an achiever.
His life was celebrated last Friday morning during a funeral mass at Saint Helena Church on DeKalb Pike in Blue Bell. Lauren, also an attorney, delivered a heartfelt eulogy.
“During the past few months, I spent a lot of time with my dad,” Lauren said. “We talked a lot about everything from his childhood in South Philly to my childhood and our law careers.”
Lauren explained that music “has always been a big part of my relationship with my dad.” Her first concert was Billy Joel as was the first concert her children experienced.
“He let my brother (David) and I pick out favorites to play on the 8-track in his Datsun every week when he picked us up for visitation,” she said, “Those songs became the soundtrack of our lives. He was our Entertainer and our Big Shot and our Macho Man.”
Sal loved spending time with his three grandchildren. If he could not make a concert or recital, he listened to recordings. And there were all those Phillies games.
“I will never hear ‘Take Me Out To The Ballgame’ without thinking of my dad,” Lauren said.
In his final days, Sal lost his appetite, but Lauren had an idea.
“Drawing on my dad’s long history of eating a Pat’s cheesesteak every day on the way home from Annunciation, I made a trip to South Philly,” she told those at the church. “My dad ate the whole thing. And that was the last meal he ever ate. In the end, as he had throughout his entire life, he ‘Did It His Way.'”
At Parx, DeBunda’s impact has been felt for decades. And it will be felt for decades to come.
“The stuff he did for us and this horsemen’s group, you can’t say enough,” trainer Scott Lake said. “The guy worked his butt off and absolutely loved Parx and the racing here.”
Pensions for Parx trainers, healthcare for their families, Turning for Home, the model track aftercare program in the country, DeBunda was a force for all of that.
“We have it better here than any race track that I know of,” Lake said. “And I’ve been to a lot of different race tracks.”
Trainer Phil Aristone, like Lake, spent many days in PTHA board meetings with DeBunda. So he knows his impact.
“I can’t explain how important he was,” Aristone said.
Beyond their professional connection, they were also friends.
“I’m going to miss him tremendously,” Aristone said. “He was a good man, and he did so much for this organization…He loved horse racing. Horse racing was his life.”
DeBunda owned some really good horses, but his best was Roamin Rachel. Her original trainer, Ed Lehman, who retired several years ago, remained close with DeBunda.
“He was always trying to get the best horses possible and was always doing the right thing for the horses,” Lehman said. “He was just that kind of person. He always tried to help all the horsemen as well.”
Current PTHA president trainer Kate DeMasi said, “I think it’s a great loss to the industry and to our community and the PTHA. He did a lot for us that we’re benefitting from today.”
DeBunda had no closer friend than Dr. Steve Appel. They were partners on many horses through the years and shared countless good times.
“All we did was win races together,” Appel said. “We started out just talking about the business when Sal first started getting involved. I watched him winning races, breeding horses that were winning stakes races. Somewhere along the line, that light bulb went off that maybe I should be partners with this guy.”
They were a great team on the track and off it.
“When you get to be my age and you lose a guy who you spoke to two or three times a week, that’s a void that’s really hard to fill,” Appel said. “I miss him already, and I know going forward, I am going to miss him even more.”
After Friday’s service, the day continued in the only way and at the only place it could – lunch in Blue Bell at Ristorante Castello, Sal’s go-to spot near his home. Stories were told and re-told, memories held close, a life considered, a legacy ensured.
