Kim Pegola, partner at Buffalo Bills and Sabers, is undergoing treatment for undisclosed health issues.
Pegola’s family released a statement on Tuesday saying, “Kim is receiving medical care as a result of some unexpected health issues. We are very grateful for the progress she has made over the past few days. She has an exceptional team of medical experts on her side. We ask you to keep Kim and our family in your prayers and ask You respect our need for privacy.”
Pegula, 53, is the president and CEO of Pegula Sports and Entertainment. She oversees business operations at the Bills and Sabers and is the first woman to head an NFL and NHL team.
Kim and Terry Pegula, 71, bought the bills in 2014 after becoming owners of Sabers in 2011.
Kim Pegula has been a public advocate for increasing diversity in the NFL and NHL, and is a member of the NFL Workplace Diversity Committee. Pegula also serves on the NFL Super Bowl Committee, Major Events Advisory Committee, Commercial Ventures Committee, and NFL Foundation Committee.
Pegula was born in Seoul, South Korea, and was adopted at the age of five by a Canadian family based in Fairport, New York, east of Rochester. She later attended Houghton College, and lived all of her early life in western New York.
Pegulas also owns the Buffalo Bandits, Rochester Knighthawks and Rochester American National Lacrosse League. An agreement was reached this year on a new $1.4 billion stadium that will keep Bills in Orchard Park, New York, for the foreseeable future on a 30-year lease.
Along with Commissioner Roger Goodell, the Pegula family visited the site of the racist shooting that killed 10 people in an East Buffalo supermarket last month.
The Pegula family has five children: Jessica, Kelly, Matthew, Michael and Laura.
The family has not provided any further details about Kim Pegula’s condition, and neither team has provided further comment.
ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg contributed to this report.
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