Buffalo couple given Super Bowl tickets for life-saving efforts

BUFFALO, N.Y. — A Buffalo couple that saved a man from a historic and deadly blizzard that hit the city in December was surprised with tickets to Super Bowl LVII courtesy of the NFL.

Sha’Kyra Aughtry and her boyfriend, Trent Alls Jr., brought Joey White, 64, into their home on Christmas Eve, saving him from the brutal storm. Alls went outside to bring him in after Aughtry said they needed to help White after he knocked on their door. The blizzard lasted for days with over four feet of snow falling and wind speeds hitting 70 mph with over three dozen people dead, due to the storm.

First responders were unable to reach Aughtry and many other homes during the height of the blizzard. On Christmas Day, Aughtry shared a video on Facebook of her using a blow dryer to melt the ice off of White’s hands. She also asked for assistance to get White help. White’s hands were blistered and swollen from fourth-degree frostbite. After Aughtry and Alls cared for him for almost two days, strangers saw the video and came to help drive White, who has a developmental disability, to the hospital.

Per The Buffalo News, Nine of White’s fingers had to be amputated. After 45 days, White was released from the hospital this week to continue his recovery at a local rehab facility, per CBS.

While Aughtry thought she was meeting her boss, CBS Mornings surprised Aughtry and Alls, a former high school football player, with the tickets to the Super Bowl in Glendale, Arizona on Sunday. They are also being flown out to the game.

“I’ve never did this before,” Aughtry exclaimed on CBS when she found out about the ticket.

A local man who became known as “Merry Christmas, Jay” was also surprised with tickets to the Super Bowl in January after he rescued 24 people during the deadly snowstorm. Thurman Thomas and his wife, Patti, presented Jay Withey with two tickets to the game on behalf of the Bills and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul also recognized Aughtry and Withey’s life-saving efforts last month.