The Buffalo Bills fanbase has had plenty of tear-jerking moments this year following the teams near-loss of Damar Hamlin, and that story may have overshadowed another moment that carries just as much significance.
Buffalo Bills fan Jay Withey is being lauded as a hero following the Christmas Eve winter storm that pounded the New York area. As the cold was taking its toll on the citizens of Buffalo, Withey found that he and many others had no place to stay for warmth, so he entered the Pine Hill School. Withey wasn’t able to just sit tight, however, since he knew that other less-fortunate people were outside in the cold fighting for their lives. So, like the hero that he is, Withey went outside and began finding anyone who needed a warm place to stay and brought them back to Pine Hill. He spoke to NBC News about the ordeal:
“My mission was just to keep going out and grabbing as many people as I can and to just keep going. I just kept walking, and I walked until I cried and I couldn’t walk any further. I was just beat.”
Not wanting his fellow refugees to go without food, he pried open the schools kitchen door. He also opened busted into the nurse’s office to gather blankets for those who were freezing inside. He said that he then left the front door open, as a sign to any passersby that it was safe to come inside. In the end, he left an apology note to the school for the damages that he was forced to make and to thank them for their unknowing hospitality, writing:
“Got stuck at 8 p.m. Friday and slept in my truck with two strangers just trying not to die. There were 7 elderly people also stuck and out of fuel. I had to do it to save everyone and get them shelter and food and a bathroom. Merry Christmas!”
Now, Withey’s good deed is being properly recognized, as the Buffalo Bills’ official team account sent him a message from team legend Thurman Thomas. As Thomas announces at the start of the message, Withey has been given two tickets to this year’s Super Bowl in Arizona. Thurman Thomas took it one step further, offering this thank you to Withey.
“We love you, we know what you did on Christmas Eve was very heroic, and you are our hero.”
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He rescued 24 people from their cars during the Buffalo blizzard and sheltered them in a nearby school.@ThurmanThomas, @PThomas3434, and @BCBSWNY thanked Jay Withey for his acts of heroism with two tickets to Super Bowl LVII!
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— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 13, 2023
Police Chief Brian Gould was also quick to praise Jay Withey, noting that the man saved more than just a few lives of Christmas Eve:
“We know that due to the actions of many people like Jay, there are many families who were fortunate enough to be reunited with their loved ones.”
Even in the aftermath, Withey was spoke clearly to NBC that his hope is not fame, but that people can use his actions as inspiration to do other kind things in their own lives:
“I hope people realize it’s important to be kind and to do the right thing to help one another.”