BUFFALO, NY — A local who became known as “Merry Christmas, Jay” after rescuing 24 people during Buffalo’s deadly snowstorm last month was surprised by a Bills legend with Super Bowl tickets on Friday.
Thurman Thomas and his wife Patti presented Jay Withey with two tickets to next month’s Super Bowl LVII in Glendale, Arizona on behalf of Bills and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield.
On Christmas Eve, Withey broke a school window while seeking shelter from the snowstorm after sleeping in his truck with two strangers for a night to stay alive. Once inside, he went back into the storm and searched for others who needed help, including seven elderly people stranded in their cars, and got them to safety at the school.
He was nicknamed “Merry Christmas Jay” after he left the school a note explaining why he broke in.
“For whose business it is,” Withey wrote in the letter, “I am terribly sorry that I smashed the school window and broke into the kitchen. I got stuck at 8pm on Friday sleeping in my truck with two strangers who were just trying not to die. Seven elderly people were also stuck and ran out of fuel. I had to do it to save everyone and get them shelter, food and a bathroom. Merry Christmas.”
He signed the note “Jay.”
The Cheektowaga Police Department later shared the letter on social media along with pictures of Withey, writing that they would like to find him to thank him for saving lives.
After receiving the tickets, Withey said he couldn’t believe how many people had reached out to him, including letters of thanks from Australia.
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