Jay Withey stepped up by saving the lives of 24 people during the blizzard in Buffalo on Christmas Eve, and the Bills rewarded his courageous act with a special Super Bowl thank you.
Christmas weekend was a brutal one for the Buffalo area, as a blizzard claimed 37 lives in Erie County. Of those deaths, four were found dead inside their vehicles and eight were found outside. That death toll could’ve nearly doubled had it not been for Withey’s actions.
To thank thank him, the Bills and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield had team legend Thurman Thomas and his wife Patti surprise Withey with two tickets to this year’s Super Bowl in Arizona.
“We love you, we know what you did on Christmas Eve was very heroic and you’re our hero,” Thomas told him during the presentation.
Withey had spent a night stuck in his truck due to the blizzard. In an attempt to save himself and two strangers, he abandoned his vehicle and broke a window to get into a school with the hopes of getting warm and staying alive. The school had heat, food, and bathrooms.
Once inside, Withey grabbed as many people as he could who were stuck in their cars. In total, he was able to gather 24 people, including seven elderly and get them inside.
He saved them from the freezing temperatures and brutal winds. The hero also left a note at the school, where Cheektowga Police nicknamed him “Merry Christmas Jay.”
“I can’t believe the reach-out I got,” Withey said after receiving the tickets. “I got thank you letters from Australia. I can’t believe how far it got. It was wild.
The only thing that could make this heartwarming story better is the Bills making it to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1994.