Bills co-owner Kim Pegula returned to the public eye Friday more than two years after her debilitating cardiac arrest. She held her husband, co-owner Terry Pegula’s hand as she led the team to break up a post-practice team meeting.
When Josh Allen put his arm around Kim Pegula, she raised her hand in the air as Allen said, “One, two, three, Bills!”
Kim Pegula watched the first two days of training camp from the passenger seat of the family’s SUV parked in a track near one of the end zones. She even did the same thing last year in her first performance since her health problems. On Friday, Pegula showed signs of improvement in her “significant expressive aphasia and memory problems” caused by brain damage from a cardiac arrest shortly after her 53rd birthday in June 2022, according to an essay written by her daughter, professional tennis player Jessica Pegula, for The Players’ Tribune in February 2023.
“This is obviously a tough time for the entire Pegula family. I’m excited to see them here,” Allen said Friday, via ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg. “She obviously put a lot of energy and effort into this several years ago, obviously before the incident and everything else. All we can do is support them and we’re here praying for them every day.” I’m excited to see her back on the field, but I also know a lot of the freshmen don’t understand the impact she had on a lot of people here, including me, so we’re just happy to see them out there.”
Kim Pegula was the first woman to serve as president of both an NFL and NHL team. Terry Pegula then held that role with both the Bills and Sabres.
“We’ve been watching her every day and her progress has been incredible,” left tackle Dion Dawkins said. “I’m just so proud of her.” It’s still Mama Bear.”