Buffalo Bills co-owner Kim Pegula makes first public appearance in 14 months after suffering cardiac arrest during team practice

Buffalo Bills co-owner Kim Pegula made her first appearance in 14 months – since suffering cardiac arrest – watching training camp practice from the front seat of the family’s SUV on Sunday.

And there could be more appearances to come, according to his 29-year-old daughter, Jessica Pegula.

The third female tennis player called her mother’s attendance at the camp the final stage of her recovery and a reflection of her desire to be more active.

“I think that’s kind of the next step for us as a family — how much this year she wants to be around all the action and the games,” Pegula said in Washington, DC, where she is. preparing to compete in the DC Open, which begins on Monday. “I mean, I know she does, but it’s almost like we’re ready for it to happen.”

Kim Pegula could be seen through the side window of the vehicle, which was parked at the foot of the southern end zone overlooking the team’s main training ground.

Kim and Terry share a daughter, Jessica, who is the third female tennis player in the world

Staying in the SUV until practice was over, she was kept company mainly by her son, Matthew, with her husband Terry Pegula stopping in regularly to chat.

Pegula was more recently described as still struggling with significant language and memory issues after going into cardiac arrest in June 2022 shortly after celebrating her 53rd birthday.

She spent a long time being treated in hospital before being released to begin what is considered a lengthy rehabilitation process.

Although coach Sean McDermott stopped by the great Kim Pegula before practice and quarterback Josh Allen met her after the session, several players were unaware of her presence.

“I haven’t seen it, but it’s great,” said Jordan Poyer, All-Pro safety.

It’s also unclear how many fans were aware of his attendance, as the Bills were unable to make a public announcement due to a power outage that affected the entire campus of St. John Fisher and much of the vicinity of Pittsford, New York.

Although Jessica Pegula didn’t get a chance to speak with her mum after practice, she received a glowing status report from her dad who said, “She was very happy to be here.”

“I’m glad she can get out there and enjoy things more,” Pegula said. ‘It’s been a tough year. It’s good for her and good for everyone to see that she’s doing well.

Pegula co-owns the Bills, alongside her husband Terry, who bought the AFC franchise in 2014

Arriving in Buffalo earlier this week, his appearance at the Bills’ training camp in suburban Rochester, New York, also represented something of a homecoming for Pegula, who grew up near Fairport.

Originally from South Korea, Pegula was orphaned as a child before being adopted at the age of 5 by Ralph and Marilyn Kerr, who brought her to the United States.

She is Pegula’s second wife, after the two met in a town south of Buffalo and married in 1993.

The Pegulas made their fortune in the natural gas industry and returned to Western New York, buying the Buffalo Sabers from the NHL in 2011, then buying the Bills three years later after the death of the founder of the NHL. Ralph Wilson franchise.

Prior to falling ill, Pegula was actively involved in player affairs and served on various NFL committees. She held the title of president of the Bills before her husband took over as part of a general management shuffle two weeks ago.

Terry Pegula got emotional last month while referencing his wife during a groundbreaking ceremony for the new $1.54 billion Bills Stadium, which is being built across from the current facility of the team and should open in time for the 2026 season.