Kim Pegula makes rare public appearance on field at new Bills stadium

Kim Pegula was there to see the Buffalo Bills' new home come to life.

The Bills co-owner made her first known public appearance in more than two years Saturday night following the first team event at new Highmark Stadium.

Pegula walked onto the field with her husband, Bills owner Terry Pegula, and their son Matthew after the Return of the Blue & Red practice. Terry held Kim's hand as they walked across the field before the family stopped near midfield to pose for photos.

Kim stood on her own for the pictures as Terry pointed out features of the new stadium.

It was a notable moment in Kim Pegula's ongoing recovery from the cardiac arrest and brain injury she suffered in June 2022.

Pegula's daughter, professional tennis player Jessica Pegula, revealed details of her mother's health scare in a February 2023 essay for The Players' Tribune.

Jessica wrote that her father awoke to find Kim unresponsive after she went into cardiac arrest while sleeping at their Florida home. Jessica's sister Kelly performed CPR until paramedics arrived and were able to restore Kim's heartbeat.

"She saved her life," Jessica wrote.

Kim spent about a week in intensive care and two weeks in the hospital before moving to an inpatient care facility to begin what Jessica described as a long recovery.

Jessica wrote that the family's concern shifted from the cardiac arrest to the effects of a brain injury caused by a lack of oxygen.

At the time of the essay, Jessica said her mother was dealing with "significant expressive aphasia and significant memory issues," although she could read, write and understand well.

Kim gradually began making occasional public appearances.

She attended Bills training camp in July 2023 in her first known public appearance since suffering cardiac arrest. On July 26, 2024, Kim returned to training camp and walked onto the field with assistance from Terry before helping break down the team's post-practice huddle.

She had not been seen publicly since that appearance more than two years ago.

Saturday provided a fitting setting for her return to the public eye.

Kim Pegula played a role in bringing the Bills' new stadium to life before her health emergency. She was involved in planning for the stadium and helped negotiate the 30-year lease agreement with New York State months before suffering cardiac arrest.

When the Bills held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new stadium in June, Terry Pegula became emotional while talking about his wife's contributions to the project.

"Kim, I wish you could have finished this project with the same passion and hard work that you started with," Terry said.

Less than two months later, Kim was there with him as the Bills took the field in their new home for the first time.

Terry and Kim Pegula purchased the Bills in 2014, keeping the franchise in Western New York. Kim, 57, grew up in Fairport and remains a co-owner of the team.

A crowd of 51,807 attended Saturday night's Return of the Blue & Red practice, the first public team event at the Bills' new $2.2 billion stadium.

After practice, players' families joined them on the field while the team lingered to socialize and take photos.

The Pegulas did the same.

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