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The Rags-to-Riches Story of Kim Pegula Might Inspire You to Become Successful As Well

Everyone loves a rag to riches success story, and Kim Pegula is one of the living proofs that these fairytale-like stories were true. She was literally clothed in rags when her biological parents gave up the responsibility of raising her and left her in front of a police station in Seoul, South Korea.

A Korean Orphan Found a New Home

Luckily, heaven-sent Ralph and Marilyn Kerr in her life as the couple adopted her when she was five years old. Kim was the Kerr family’s best Christmas blessing after nine months of waiting to get approved with their application. They already had two biological sons, Ralph Jr. and Gordon at that time when they read an article about a family adopting a Korean child that inspired them to do the same.

In the 1970s, it was normal for the Korean parents to leave their children at a local police station when they could not carry the burden of raising a child anymore. Kim was one of the lucky kids who found a new home, and she seemingly hit the jackpot when the Kerrs adopted her.

Communicating was her biggest challenge when she first arrived in the United States. She doesn’t know a single English word given her Korea roots, but she quickly learned the language in just a couple of months when her adoptive parents enrolled her at the Jefferson Avenue Elementary School.

Making her parents proud, she actively participated in school activities as a cheerleader from her elementary years up until high school. She also joined the marching band, played bassoon, and became a flag girl at the band. She was very satisfied and grateful for her life with the Kerrs, and she never intended to look for her real family.

The Buffalo Bills Heroes

Kim took broadcast journalism at the Houghton College that led her into meeting her soulmate, Terry Pegula. Her college roommate, named Angie convinced her to go to Alaska for employment. While she was working on a summer job in Olean, New York to earn money for their Alaska trip, they met Pegula at the Old Library Restaurant where they were working on their application forms.

The two ended up getting married and became billionaires. From being a Korean orphan left on the streets, Kim now owns the Buffalo Bills and Sabres. She has been happily married to Terry with three children. Their eldest is the 21-year-old Jessica followed by the 19-year-old Kelly and 16-year-old Matthew.

And not only that, the town actually considers the power couple as their heroes for saving the Bills from other buyers who intended to move the franchise out of western New York.

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