What Happened to Kim S. Pegula?
Kim Pegula is a South Korean-born American businesswoman and, with her husband Terry Pegula, co-owner of the Buffalo Bills (NFL) and Buffalo Sabres (NHL). She served as the first female president of both an NFL and NHL team before suffering a cardiac arrest and brain injury in June 2022. She is currently in long-term recovery, undergoing physical and occupational therapy, and has made several public appearances in 2024 and 2026, demonstrating her ongoing progress.
Quick Answer
Kim Pegula, co-owner of the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres, is currently in recovery from a severe cardiac arrest and subsequent brain injury she suffered in June 2022. This health event led to significant expressive aphasia and memory issues, and she was legally declared incapacitated in March 2023. While she no longer holds her executive roles, she remains a co-owner and has been seen making public appearances, including at Bills training camp in July 2024 and at the new Highmark Stadium in August 2026, showcasing her gradual but determined rehabilitation.
📊Key Facts
📅Complete Timeline15 events
Born in Seoul, South Korea
Kim S. Kerr was born in Seoul, South Korea. She was later adopted by an American family.
Adopted and moved to the United States
She was adopted by Ralph and Marilyn Kerr and grew up in Fairport, New York.
Graduated college and began career at East Resources
Graduated from Houghton College with a communications degree and started working at East Resources, her husband Terry Pegula's company.
East Resources sold
East Resources, the natural gas company founded by Terry Pegula, was sold, providing the capital for future sports investments.
Purchased Buffalo Sabres (NHL)
Kim and Terry Pegula purchased the Buffalo Sabres NHL team, along with the Buffalo Bandits (NLL) and Rochester Americans (AHL).
Purchased Buffalo Bills (NFL)
The Pegulas realized a long-time dream by becoming the second owners of the Buffalo Bills NFL team.
Named President of Pegula Sports and Entertainment, Bills, and Sabres
Kim Pegula became the first female team president in the history of both the NFL and NHL, overseeing all Pegula Sports and Entertainment properties.
Suffered cardiac arrest and brain injury
Kim Pegula was hospitalized after suffering a cardiac arrest at home, which led to a significant brain injury due to lack of oxygen. Her daughter Kelly performed CPR.
Daughter Jessica Pegula reveals health details
Tennis star Jessica Pegula published an essay in The Players' Tribune, detailing her mother's cardiac arrest, brain injury, and ongoing recovery with expressive aphasia and memory issues.
Legally declared incapacitated
Kim Pegula was legally declared incapacitated, and her assets were placed into a trust managed by her husband and a business partner.
Pegula Sports and Entertainment dissolved
The holding company managing the Bills and Sabres was dissolved, with Terry Pegula assuming direct presidential roles for the teams.
Stepdaughter Laura Pegula assumes co-owner role
Laura Pegula, Terry's daughter from a previous marriage, assumed Kim's role as a Bills co-owner.
Public appearance at Bills training camp
Kim Pegula made a public appearance at the Buffalo Bills' training camp, where she was seen taking steps outside her vehicle and breaking down the team huddle.
Private equity investors purchase stake
The NFL approved a new minority ownership group for the Bills, as private equity investors purchased a substantial portion of Kim Pegula's stake.
Appears at new Highmark Stadium's first team event
Kim Pegula made an emotional public appearance at the Buffalo Bills' new Highmark Stadium for its first team event, a significant moment in her ongoing recovery and connection to a project she helped initiate.
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🔍Deep Dive Analysis
Kim S. Pegula, born Kim S. Kerr on June 7, 1969, in Seoul, South Korea, was adopted by an American family and raised in Fairport, New York. Her career began in 1991 with East Resources, her husband Terry Pegula's company, which was sold in 2010. This marked the beginning of the Pegulas' significant investment in professional sports, starting with the purchase of the Buffalo Sabres (NHL) in 2011 and later the Buffalo Bills (NFL) in 2014.
In May 2018, Kim Pegula made history by becoming the first female team president in both the NFL and NHL, overseeing all properties under Pegula Sports and Entertainment (PSE), which managed the Bills, Sabres, and other sports and entertainment assets. She was actively involved in league committees, including the NFL's business ventures and Super Bowl advisory committees, and played a crucial role in the planning and construction of projects like LECOM Harborcenter and the new Highmark Stadium.
However, in June 2022, Pegula suffered a life-altering cardiac arrest at her home in Florida. Her daughter, Kelly, performed life-saving CPR until paramedics arrived. The prolonged lack of oxygen to her brain resulted in a significant brain injury, leading to expressive aphasia and severe memory issues. Her daughter, tennis star Jessica Pegula, publicly shared details of her mother's condition in a heartfelt Players' Tribune article in February 2023, highlighting the family's challenging journey.
Following her health crisis, Kim Pegula was legally declared incapacitated in March 2023, and her assets were placed into a trust. Pegula Sports and Entertainment was subsequently dissolved in 2023, with Terry Pegula assuming direct presidential roles for the Bills and Sabres. In early 2024, her stepdaughter Laura Pegula assumed a co-owner role for the Bills, and private equity investors purchased a substantial portion of Kim's stake in December 2024.
Despite these changes, Kim Pegula remains listed as a co-owner on the Bills' and Sabres' websites, with her biography noting she is undergoing long-term physical and occupational therapy. She has shown remarkable progress in her recovery, making public appearances at Bills training camp in July 2024, where she was assisted by her husband and broke down the team huddle. Most recently, in August 2026, she made an emotional return to the public eye, appearing at the Buffalo Bills' new Highmark Stadium alongside her family for its first team event, a significant moment given her prior involvement in the stadium's planning.
What If...?
Explore alternate histories. What if Kim S. Pegula made different choices?