“I am thankful she is still with us when others have not been so lucky,” Jessica Pegula opens up on mother’s close shave after cardiac arrest
Pegula reveals the story of 'her mother, her family and the past year'
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Jessica Pegula and Kim Pegula (via Getty Images)
For The Players’ Tribune, Jessica Pegula wrote a touching piece in which she described the history of her mother and family. The two-time champion disclosed that her mother, Kim Pegula experienced a cardiac arrest in the middle of the night between the French Open and Wimbledon last year. She was rushed to the hospital, where doctors eventually identified the problem.
World no.4 further described how her sister, Kelly, and father Terry Pegula spent endless days in the hospital, to keep an eye on the player’s mother. Pegula’s parents are owners of the NFL teams, Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres. She went on to say that her mother always ‘loved to work’ and that she was the reason behind her dad’s success.
Kim suffered a heart arrest after one of Pegula’s best tournaments to that point, where she advanced to the French Open singles quarterfinal and doubles final and cracked the top 10 rankings. At the Guadalajara WTA 1000 at the end of the year, Pegula went on to win the biggest championship of her career. She later claimed that she had been in tears prior to the match because she knew she wanted to win and give it to her mother.
When Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin had a heart arrest during a Monday night game against the Cincinnati Bengals last month, Pegula was shocked. She learned of it while waiting to compete in mixed doubles match at the United Cup event in Sydney. This instigated her to get the situation and her feelings ‘off her chest’.
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Jessica Pegula thought her career was over
Despite Kim’s wishes that complete her playing career before getting more involved, the world No. 4 was considering if she would have to give up tennis and assist with her family’s enterprises. Kim’s cardiac arrest, the consequent emotional turmoil, and overwhelming problems led to Pegula’s indecisiveness regarding her career.
“I went from ‘Let’s celebrate the top 10 in the world’ to ‘Do I need to start thinking about my career after tennis a lot sooner than I thought?’ ‘Does my dad and family need help?’ ‘Maybe I should just go back to school and work for the family.’ “
Pegula‘s mother is still in recovery and can communicate, but she still has ‘expressive aphasia and significant memory issues’. The World No.4 wrote the essay while competing in the Australian Open as a ‘sort of therapy. After everything she’s been through, Jessica feels lucky and grateful that her mother is still alive.
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Tanisha Mohanty
(172 Articles Published)