These stories and more punctuate our weekly walk through time.
BUFFALO, NY— 10 years ago this week
In the midst of one of the worst flu seasons on record, we’ve shared all the usual doctor’s advice, including washing your hands and coughing up your sleeve, to keep the airborne virus at bay.
Interestingly, none of them suggested wearing a mask this week in 2013.
Buffalo police officer Patricia Parete died from gunshot wounds she sustained more than six years ago when she and her partner confronted a gunman outside a convenience store.
Parete, who was shot in the spine, spent the last few years of her life paralyzed.
Chris Kyle, whose story inspired the film American Sniper, was shot dead by another former veteran, Congress approved President Obama’s choice of John Kerry as secretary of state, and Buffalo’s annual winter pond hockey tournament was still being played in the Erie Basin Marina.
Buffalo businessman Mark Hamister announced that he would suspend his bid to buy the bankrupt Buffalo Sabers, ending a drama that played out in the news for months.
Hamister had the support of the NHL, organized labor and local politicians.
He just didn’t have the money, or at least not enough money of his own since his bid depended on tens of millions of dollars in taxpayers’ money.
Amid continued uncertainty as to whether this support would be forthcoming, Hamister’s main investment partner withdrew, thereby nullifying the offer.
It was then that Rochester billionaire B, Thomas Golisano, the founder of Paychex, stepped forward with an offer that required no government support and was subsequently approved to keep NHL hockey in Buffalo.
That same week, Space Shuttle Columbia broke apart on re-entry after a 15-day mission and only about 20 minutes before its scheduled landing.
The debris was scattered hundreds of miles, mostly in east Texas.
Columbia was the first of five space shuttle orbiters to fly into space and made its maiden flight in 1981.
All seven astronauts were killed in the disaster, which an accident investigation board later concluded was likely caused by damage to the orbiter’s left wing during launch, which compromised the thermal protection system.
Hoping that the third time would be a charm, Buffalo Bills fans braced themselves for the team’s third straight Super Bowl appearance in Pasadena.
Their initial optimism, however, when Buffalo scored the opening goal after a blocked punt by Special Teams ace Steve Tasker, was soon dashed by a series of mistakes.
Buffalo passed the ball to the Dallas Cowboys an astounding nine times in a 52-17 loss in what is still considered one of the worst shots in Super Bowl history.
And it was all News 2 You.
Comments are closed.