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USF kicker's season in doubt after fall

Tribune file photo by SCOTT ISKOWITZ

Maikon Bonani was the toast of USF after his game-winning field goal against Kansas last season at Raymond James Stadium.

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By BRETT McMURPHY

bmcmurphy@tampatrib.com

Published: July 19, 2009

Updated: 07/19/2009 10:54 pm

TAMPA - University of South Florida kicker Maikon Bonani dangled from the Skyride at Busch Gardens on Saturday, about 35 feet up, half an hour before he was scheduled to finish his final shift as the ride's attendant.

About 15 minutes before, while on break, the sophomore had been joking with USF fans, telling them how excited he was about the upcoming football season.

Later on when he returned from break, he noticed he hadn't locked the door on a Skyride gondola, which was leaving the platform with three female passengers inside. So he held on as the gondola climbed into the sky. A woman and a young girl tried to pull him into the car, which went about 50 feet before Bonani fell into some bushes.

Bonani, 20, cracked a vertebra in his back. He was in fair condition Sunday at St. Joseph's Hospital, St. Joe spokeswoman Jacqueline Farruggio said.

"Our entire program is praying for Maikon and happy that the injury was not life-threatening," USF coach Jim Leavitt said in a statement. "I was able to visit him Saturday night. He's in pain but doing fine and resting."

Whether Bonani will be able to play this season remains in doubt. Practice begins in less than three weeks, and USF's first game is Sept. 5 against Wofford College.

Senior punter Delbert Alvarado, who handled the field goal and extra point duties until losing the starting spot to Bonani, likely would take over the kicking duties if Bonani can't play this season.

'He put them before himself'

The gondola's door was unlocked when it left the station but locked by the time it reached the next station, Busch Gardens spokeswoman Jill Revelle said Sunday. Park officials don't know if Bonani locked the door while dangling from the car.

"It was either the employee or the guests," Revelle said.

The three passengers were not injured, she said.

Brittany Link, a 2007 USF graduate from Fort Lauderdale, watched as two of the female passengers in the gondola tried to help Bonani.

"They were holding on to him, trying to pull him into the car," said Link, 23, who was standing 20 or 30 feet from where he fell. "The whole thing was scary."

Link had ridden the Skyride about 10 minutes before the accident, which happened about 3 p.m. She was wearing a green USF T-shirt, prompting Bonani to start a conversation.

"I didn't recognize him, and then he was joking around - 'Were you at the Kansas game? I was the kicker.'

"He was awesome. He took a picture with us and was talking about the upcoming season. He was really excited."

Minutes after taking a photo with Bonani, Link watched helplessly as he plummeted to the ground.

"He kind of just reacted," she said. "He put them before himself."

The car kept going for about five feet after Bonani fell, Link said.

"The people in the gondola were looking over at him lying in the bushes," she said. "Then they turned the ride back on and they had to go all the way through it.

"It was probably the longest ride of their life."

All-around sportsman

Operators are trained to hit an emergency stop button if they notice any problems with the ride, Revelle said.

After the accident, park officials gathered employees who operate the Skyride and reinforced the park's safety policies, she said.

The ride reopened Saturday.

Bonani graduated from Lake Wales High School, where he was the school's valedictorian and could have started at quarterback or wide receiver, his high school coach Rod Shafer said. Bonani also was Polk County's player of the year in soccer and the school's No. 1 tennis player.

As a freshman at USF last season, Bonani was named the starting kicker after two games. He made his collegiate debut on national TV against No. 13 Kansas and badly missed his first field goal from 41 yards.

With no time remaining in the game and the score tied, however, Bonani made a 43-yard field goal to give USF a 37-34 victory and was carried off the field on his teammates' shoulders. He finished the season making 15 of 21 field goals.

"He is such a nice guy," said Link, who described herself as one of USF's biggest fans. "He was talking about how excited he was for the season. It's sad to see. I hope he's OK and can come back."

Reporter Brett McMurphy can be reached at (813) 259-7928

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