How far is too far to travel for a football game? Apparently it’s not 8,000 miles!
Bills Mafia is known for their extreme fandom. From jumping through tables to taking shots from a bowling ball. From spreading love through charity and good deeds, to showing up at the airport to send off and welcome home their team. From packing their home stadium to traveling across the country, Bills Mafia is everywhere.
But one family’s love for the Buffalo Bills took them 8,000 miles from home. While Martha Piggot grew up in Western New York, she and her family — including seven-year-old son Jacob — now live in Malawi, Africa. As first reported on by WIVB, Despite the miles, Piggot had the opportunity to go to the Bills’ divisional round game against the Baltimore Ravens two weeks ago and create some core memories for her son.
The mother-son duo had flown from Africa to Buffalo, NY to visit family on Grand Island where Piggot grew up. It just so happened that the Bills were hosting a home playoff game while they were in town.
Piggot said that growing up as a Buffalo Bills fan was an amazing experience that she’s glad to now share with her son. Her family wears Bills gear all over Africa, including on safaris and trips to the lake.
Piggot said that her son’s school back in Malawi is an international school and that there are students from all around the globe who attend. However, Jacob isn’t known for being from America, but rather from Buffalo because he’s always talking about the Bills. When his school has “dress as your home country” day, Jacob proudly dresses in his Bills gear.
So, getting to take her son to a Bills game was definitely a highlight of the Piggots’ trip home. Jacob held up a sign letting everyone in attendance know he had traveled all the way from Africa to be there that night. And, while quarterback Josh Allen is his favorite player, Jacob was not disappointed when it was A.J. Epenesa, among others, who autographed his sign for him.
The Piggots’ thoughts on the whole experience? They would gladly do the 48 hours of flights to be there again. In the meantime, the African chapter of Bills Mafia is doing well and will continue to do their part to spread “Buffalove” everywhere they go — even 8,000 miles away.