Buffalo Bills

Bills Co-Owner Kim Pegula Still Recovering From 2022 Cardiac Arrest, Daughter Jessica Details

Jessica Pegula shared the story of her mother and Buffalo Bills co-owner, Kim, suffering a cardiac arrest just months before Damar Hamlin sustained one on the field

Getty

Damar Hamlin's cardiac arrest on Jan. 2 hit close to home for Buffalo Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula.

The co-owners' daughter, Jessica Pegula, who is the No. 4 tennis player in the world, wrote in The Players Tribune on Tuesday that her mother suffered a cardiac arrest in June 2022 and Jessica's sister had to perform CPR to keep her alive until the paramedics arrived at the family home.

Jessica said that her mom is making progress eight months later but is still dealing with lingering health issues from the scare.

The 28-year-old said she decided to open up about her mother after the Hamlin, a 24-year-old Bills safety, suffered his cardiac arrest, calling it a "bizarre, messed up, full circle moment."

At the time, the highly ranked American tennis player was Down Under getting ready for the 2023 Australian Open.

"My stomach sunk because it felt like the exact same thing all over again," Pegula said. "I wanted to throw up. I was supposed to go on for mixed doubles in 15 minutes and I remember telling one of my teammates, 'I am a little freaked out right now, this is too close to home, and I feel like I am going to have a panic attack.'"

Jessica was so inspired by the Bills' medical staff that she decided to wear a No. 3 patch during her quarterfinal run at the Australian Open in January.

“Going into the 2023 Australian Open, I decided to wear the number 3 patch to honor Damar Hamlin,” she wrote. “Ironically, yes, I was ranked No. 3 in the world. However, it didn’t feel like it was just for him, it felt like it was for my mom as well. To see the attention it garnered in Australia, across the world, in a different country, just reminded me why I love sports and the beauty of coming together.

"Some of my close friends who know every detail of what has happened tell me, 'I don’t know how you have made it through the year, let alone finished No. 3 in the world,'" she added. I just say I have no freaking clue. I guess one thing I learned from the past year is it can be a great year, and a bad year, both can be true."

Jessica wrote that her family appreciates the support from Bills Mafia and requests continued privacy during this trying time.

Contact Us