Legacy of former CU Buffalo Sal Aunese in the spotlight of a new award-winning documentary
One CU Buff is leaving behind a legacy highlighted in a new award-winning documentary.
The documentary "Born to Lead: The Sal Aunese Story" spotlights the former Buff and his journey.
If you've been a CU football fan through it all, then you know this story. Aunese was the team's quarterback in the 1980s.
He got things fired up and got the team winning again; a leader that many believed would take the team to a national championship, which, in a way, he did. Years later, he's still remembered for that role.
Aunese's story is both inspiring and heartbreaking -- one that lives on inside the CU locker room.
"The tears that came as the emotions- they're actually- they're tears of joy and tears of how we are so proud of him and all that he accomplished in his life," his sister Ruta Aunese said.
The Samoan quarterback was a star at every age. But he was also the leader CU football needed in 1987 to turn the team around, and built on that in 1988.
Jeff Campbell and JJ Flanigan played alongside Aunese during that time.
"Our focus with him was, 'we are going to get to this national championship,'" Campbell said.
They had no way of knowing what would come next.
In March of 1989, Aunese was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive stomach cancer. He was given 6 months to live.
"When Sal first found out how severe the illness he had was, I never saw Sal for one second feel sorry for himself," his sister said. "He had already had his first session of chemotherapy and, you see the smile? It didn't deter his smile."
Aunese died in September.
The team dedicated their season to him, beating Nebraska that year to go to the Orange Bowl.
That game was the last time his family was in the stands.
"We promised Sal that we would come out if he was playing," his brother Ray Aunese said. "We're going to make it to the Nebraska game, so we fulfilled our promise to him."
Thirty-four years later, they're back, getting their first look at his forever locker and attending a special showing of the documentary film directed by Lara Silfe.
"It was so heartwarming that they learned so much through it all," Silfe said. "Through that whole situation in 1989, they learned about winning, what it takes to win, becoming one, playing something bigger than yourself."
The film is about so much more than football.
"I learned about this brotherhood that they developed and it was extraordinary," Silfe said. "Still is to this day."
"We talk at least two or three times a month," Campbell said of his former teammate Flannigan.
"We just get caught up on everything," Flannigan responded.
It's a brotherhood that Aunese and his family are still very much a part of.
"Colorado is our family," said Ruta Aunese.
The team lost to Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl the year Aunese died but came back in 1990 to win the National Championship.
