Chiefs Fans Honor Josh Allen by Donating over $173K to Oishei Children's Hospital
January 26, 2022
Kansas City Chiefs fans have donated over $173,000 to the Patricia Allen Fund at Buffalo's Oishei Children's Hospital since Sunday's memorable playoff victory over quarterback Josh Allen and the Bills.
WKBW's Tim Meehan and Pheben Kassahun reported the updated total Wednesday, with many of the donations coming in $13 increments—representing the time left on the clock in regulation before the Chiefs drove for a tying field goal to force overtime.
Brett Fitzgerald, who runs the "Chiefs Kingdom Memes" Facebook page and called for the donations, credited Bills fans for their past charitable endeavors sparking the idea.
"Bills Mafia was the catalyst in this, and we're just following their lead on it," Fitzgerald told WKBW.
In November, Oishei Children's Hospital unveiled the Patricia Allen Pediatric Recovery Wing in memory of the Bills quarterback's grandmother after $1.1 million in donations were made by Bills fans following her death in 2020.
"My family and I cannot even begin to express our gratitude for the support this community has shown us," Allen said. "The dedication and commitment that the staff at Oishei shows families and patients during their time in the hospital absolutely exemplifies what it means to live in the city of good neighbors here in Buffalo. Thank you all so much, and go Bills!"
It's one of several examples of charitable support by Bills Mafia in recent years.
The trend started on New Year's Eve 2017, when the Cincinnati Bengals stunned the Baltimore Ravens in the final seconds of a game during the last week of the regular season, which allowed the Bills to clinch their first playoff berth in 18 years.
Buffalo fans proceeded to donate over $415,000 to the Andy and Jordan Dalton Foundation to thank the longtime Bengals quarterback, who spent the 2021 season with the Chicago Bears.
More recently, Bills Mafia donated more than $108,000 to the Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana after cornerback Tre'Davious White, a Louisiana native, suffered a season-ending torn ACL against the New Orleans Saints on Thanksgiving Day.
Chiefs fans are returning the favor as their team gets prepared to face the Bengals in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday.