Mark Bonokoski's colleagues, loved ones remember him fondly

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We here at the Toronto Sun are devastated by the passing of legendary columnist Mark Bonokoski, a.k.a. Bono, given he was our larger-than-life rock star. He was 76.

Bono joined the Sun in 1974 after stints at the Calgary Herald and Windsor Star, but it was here, throughout his nearly half-century career, where he left an indelible mark with readers and colleagues alike.

Read on to see what others had to say.

Paul Godfrey, former Toronto Sun publisher and CEO

I left politics to join the Toronto Sun and I met the greatest group of people that you could ever think of. And the man that just passed was one of the great heroes of the Toronto Sun. He did things that were different. For instance, when the Toronto Blue Jays became a team, he went down to spring training and actually worked out and built out the image of how the Toronto Sun was going to deal with sports and baseball.

He touched everything in sports. He touched everything in business. He touched everything that the Sun ever did. He was just an angel to be on your team. He always took the tough tasks that reporters and journalists look forward to doing, and he never said no to the toughest jobs in the media business.

He became a publisher and leader in the Ottawa Sun in his later years, so he could do everything in the media business. And he’s leaving a big gap in the history of the Toronto Sun. He dedicated his life to journalism, he dedicated his life to the Sun, and he was there when everyone needed him.

Adrienne Batra, Sun editor-in-chief

Mark’s remarkable talent as a columnist and his unwavering dedication to journalism left an indelible mark on all of us who had the privilege to work alongside him.

Bono had a unique ability to weave words into powerful narratives that resonated with readers and inspired countless writers. His insights and perspectives not only helped shape the Sun, but also enriched the lives of many.

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Andy Donato, political cartoonist

I remember back in the mid-‘70s when he came up from Windsor with Les Pyette and Ron Base, Brian Vallee, Cam Norton, and others. They were called the “Windsor Mafia” and Bono went on to be our general reporter and then he tried out for the Blue Jays and wrote a column each day about trying to get a job in the major leagues. He went to England as our foreign correspondent, covered the Berlin Wall coming down, and the Lockerbie bombing when the plane went down.

He was just the greatest writer, I think one of the best in Canada.

Steve Simmons, sports columnist

Mark Bonokoski was the Toronto Sun at its best — when we were brave and irreverent and cheeky and unpredictable. He was the consummate newsman, columnist and storyteller with the kind of human touch that attracted readers.

It’s not accidental he was elected to the Canadian News Hall of Fame. He was that to all of us who worked with him, around him, learning from how he pushed the envelope and how he brought his stories to print.

Rest in peace old friend, colleague, hero. You made our lives and our business better.

Warren Kinsella, political columnist

Very, very sad about his passing. My politics drove him crazy but he never stopped being a mentor or a friend. My deepest condolences to his family.

Joe Warmington, columnist

He was such a great guy, a mentor to all of us, a kind of hero to all of us too because he represented something that’s really unique. He didn’t have a left-wing, right-wing, centre. He had his own wing. His wing was the street, and I in some ways emulate myself after that, that same style. He could get along with right, left and centre and that’s why he was such a good news guy. Nobody wrote like that.

I called him Bones. “Hey, Bones.” I had my own little nickname for him.

That’s the thing with Bones — people underestimated him. He wasn’t all bravado or guts; he was ultra-talented. He was a great storyteller, a great writer, and he worked the phones. He treated every story like it was the most important thing. He did all that but he also had amazing talent. Not everybody has that.

He’s right there with [Peter] Worthington, [Christine] Blatchford, Bob MacDonald in terms of the greatest Sun writers. Those four, they’re all up there in that newsroom in the sky. You can imagine the kind of party that would be but also, the kind of problem they would be for those that aren’t doing things right up there because they weren’t afraid of anybody.

Matt Wren, Mayor of Brockville

Very sad to hear of the passing of Brockville native and Canadian media legend Mark Bonokoski. A guy who never forgot where he came from and was so devoted to his mom in her later years. Condolences to his loved ones.

Lance Hornby, sports columnist

Bono was one of the first people I met at the Sun, incredibly intense at his job and on the diamond in the Press League. As with everything, he battled cancer head on.

Brian Lilley, political columnist

Mark had the career we all wanted when we went into journalism. He loved regaling us all with stories. I got to work with him for five or six years and he just had the most amazing stories, especially from his years as a foreign correspondent. Part of what was great about listening to stories from Bono was, even if it was mundane, that crazy, raspy voice of his just made you want to listen!

I last saw him a couple years ago in Ottawa, he had been in ailing health for a while, but he kept writing, even as his eyesight was going, he would keep up writing. Beyond his wife and daughters and grandkids, it’s what he truly loved.

Rita DeMontis, former Sun lifestyle and food editor

I met him in August, 1976. He was a force to be reckoned with — swaggering around the newsroom, calling out to people. Fearless and so funny, especially when hanging out with the late great Jerry Gladman. Those two were so connected. I do believe we are all better people to have had these titans of journalism in our lives. RIP my friend. You will be so missed.

Erin Bonokoski Paulusse, Mark’s daughter and former director of strategic communications to PM Stephen Harper

On Wednesday we said goodbye to my dear old Dad, Mark Bonokoski. Talented beyond measure, my Dad dedicated his life to telling the stories of those who would otherwise not be heard. Devoted husband to my Mom of 40+ years, amazing Papa to Briar and Morgan, and the best Dad.