Kim Pegula Oct 20, 2019; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula walk on the field prior to the game against the Miami Dolphins at New Era Field. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Pro tennis star Jessica Pegula, whose parents own the Buffalo Bills and Sabres, shared a stunning health update Tuesday on her mother, Kim Pegula.

In an article she wrote for The Players’ Tribune, Jessica Pegula revealed Kim suffered a cardiac arrest last June. At the time, reports suggested that she was dealing with “unexpected health issues.”

Jessica Pegula noted that the recent ordeal of Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who suffered a cardiac arrest during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 2, made her “stomach (sink) because it felt like the exact same thing all over again.” It also prompted her to share her mom’s story.

The tennis star, currently the world’s No. 4 ranked player, revealed that her 53-year-old mother is still “improving every day.”

“Today, my mom is still in recovery and although it is the same answer every time someone asks me, it is true, she is improving every day,” Pegula wrote. “She is dealing with significant expressive aphasia and significant memory issues. She can read, write, and understand pretty well, but she has trouble finding the words to respond. It is hard to deal with and it takes a lot of patience to communicate with her, but I thank God every day that we can still communicate with her at all.”

“The doctors continue to be blown away by her recovery, considering where she started, and her determination is the driving force of that.”

Kim Pegula serves as the president of both the Bills and Sabres. Her husband Terry is the co-owner of both franchises.

Jessica Pegula said that Hamlin’s incident hit her hard.

“[T]he thought of what Damar and his family were about to go through hurt my heart,” she wrote. “I knew how important time was. I just kept thinking time, time, time, time. I hope they got him back and quick enough. The medical staff and trainers who assisted that night really saved his life and were tremendous in his recovery.”

The sports world remarked on the situation with sincere thanks for the update and for Kim Pegula’s improvement.

[Yahoo Sports]

About Arthur Weinstein

Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.