Bills co-owner makes triumphant return to field two years after cardiac arrest

Buffalo Bills co-owner Kim Pegula made a triumphant return to the team on Friday, appearing at the end of the group's training camp practice.

It was the first time Pegula was "seen publicly walking on her own" since suffering a cardiac arrest in June 2022, according to a report by John Wawrow of The Associated Press.

The 55-year-old's health scare came seven months before Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest in Week 17 of the 2022 season against the Cincinnati Bengals on "Monday Night Football."

Per Wawrow, Pegula spent the first two days of training camp "watching practice from the passenger seat of the family’s SUV parked on the track near one of the end zones." Wawrow noted that Pegula also viewed parts of last year's camp from the car, which was her first appearance since the cardiac arrest.

"As practice was ending on Friday, Terry Pegula went to the driver’s side of the SUV and helped his wife get out," Wawrow wrote. "He then took her hand and led her to the team gathered near the goal line. In being surrounded by players, she then counted down 'three, two, one, Bills' to break the huddle, left tackle Dion Dawkins said."

Eight months after it was first reported that Pegula was battling health issues, the team's co-owner's daughter — American tennis star Jessica Pegula — revealed details of her mother's cardiac arrest in an essay with The Player's Tribune.

Hamlin shared Jessica's post on social media the next day, writing "Heartfelt.. Thank You Jessie for sharing & allowing yourself to be vulnerable in front of the entire world," followed by three emojis and "We Are With You!"

According to the Associated Press report, Kim has been "undergoing extensive therapy while dealing with what the family described as significant language and memory issues."