While most of us are too young to have been at Wake during the epic 2006 season, most of us do remember the excitement and shock of underdog Wake Forest winning the ACC Championship, led by rookie quarterback Riley Skinner. During that season, fullback Jon Abbate, who now plays for Sacramento Mountain Lions, lost his younger brother Luke in a tragic reckless driving accident. In honor of his brother, Jon changed his jersey to number 5, the number his brother had worn on his high school football team. At the end of the 3rd quarter, Jon and fans began holding up five fingers to honor his brother, a tradition that still exists at Wake today, calling the 4th quarter the 5th quarter.
The film The 5th Quarter tells the story of Luke’s death, and Jon Abbate’s determination to play the best season of his life in his brother’s honor. Wake went on to a record breaking season that year, culminating in the ACC Championship. The film premiered at The Grand Movie Theater in Winston-Salem this past Wednesday, and star Ryan Merriman (of Smart House, Luck of the Irish, and Pretty Little Liars) was there to greet the fans who came out to support.
I had the privilege of viewing the film, which I recommend to ALL Wake students and alumni; scenes were filmed at the BB&T Stadium, Mellow Mushroom, Old Salem, and all over the campus. The film is extremely moving, and also fun to watch as many of the background scenes include real Wake alumni you might recognize. The film has a limited release, so don’t miss it. Check out my photos from the premiere at the Grand!