Owning a professional sports team is rare. Owning two, even more so. For Terry and Kim Pegula, sports business is a family business. The journey has been surreal for the Buffalo Sabres and Bills owners. Kim Pegula, was working as a waitress when she met successful oil and gas entrepreneur, Terry. In 1991, Terry offered her a job at his natural gas company, started a relationship, and married in ’93.
The couple has built the Western New York franchises into powerful influences in the sports world. But amid their success, a health scare for Kim last year led to one of the most challenging trials in their lives. Thankfully the couple is not alone – the community in Buffalo has gathered around the couple, mobilizing a prayer meeting at a local church in the outskirts of Buffalo and “asking humbly, praying boldly for a full recovery.”
In a video message to those at the prayer meeting, Terry asked for prayer, believing that God would answer and restore Kim to wholeness again. The prayer gathering was organized in part by Kim Pegula’s alma mater, Houghton College, a Christian school in upstate NY that also serves the couple’s philanthropic interests. Hosted at Eastern Hills Wesleyan Church in Clarence, the community is known for coming together in tough times.
“The beginning of this season has been difficult,” Terry Pegula continued. “But we ask, with God’s help, that Kim’s recovery continues. We also ask, with God’s help, that Kim has a full recovery. We ask humbly, but we pray boldly.”
Terry also went on to share his faith, knowing the power of the Lord in prayer.
“We recognize the power of prayer, and we recognize the power of everyone lifting Kim’s health up to the Lord,” Terry Pegula shared via video, “We are grateful for everyone’s support over the last nine-ten months that Kim has been through this.”
The Pegulas have maintained a relatively low profile, keeping out of the limelight for the most part. The couple was very private about the health crisis they are currently walking through. It was until Damar Hamlin garnered so much attention and prayers for his recovery that, their daughter, Jessica Pegula wanted to share her own family’s story of battling sickness and ask for prayer. Jessica, a professional tennis player, made it public knowledge in February 2023, writing in The Players Tribune,
“Today, my mom is still in recovery, and although it is the same answer every time someone asks me, it is true, she is improving every day. She is dealing with significant expressive aphasia and significant memory issues. She can read, write, and understand pretty well, but she has trouble finding the words to respond. It is hard to deal with and it takes a lot of patience to communicate with her, but I thank God every day that we can still communicate with her at all. The doctors continue to be blown away by her recovery, considering where she started, and her determination is the driving force of that.”
An estimated 300 people joined the prayer meeting.
Jessica Pegula: “A few days after I got home, I got a call around midnight (on my mom’s birthday) from my sister Kelly who was staying at my parents’ house. Something was wrong with our mom.”
Please read this. Jess opens up about her mom’s health issues. Praying for her family???????? pic.twitter.com/HEa2kj1Qob
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) February 7, 2023
Kim and Terry Pegula taking over might be the most important too.
I don’t think they get nearly enough credit for how well they run this team. The amount of resources available that simply weren’t under Ralph Wilson are a complete game changer. https://t.co/exu5FKZXFY
— Bills Chat Podcast (@BillsChatPod) June 13, 2023
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