For tennis superstar Jessica Pegula, escaping sports is easier said than done.
Long before earning a spot at the 2024 US Open finals, the Olympic athlete was surrounded by the excitement of game day thanks to her parents, Terry and Kim Pegula.
The duo have owned both the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres team and the Buffalo Bills football team for several years. While they’d love for their teams to win a Stanley Cup trophy or Super Bowl ring, both Terry and Kim say they remain Jessica’s biggest fans.
“We always say she’s our first sports team and our favorite,” Kim told WKBW-TV in August 2019. “People often ask us which team we like better, what sport we like better, and she’s always been our first team and our favorite team.”
While her parents may be billionaires and successful in their business, Jessica recently slammed rumors that she lives a privileged life complete with butlers, chauffeur and limo transportation.
“I’m definitely not like that,” she said in a US Open press conference in September 2024. “People can think what they want. I don’t know. I just think it’s kind of funny. A butler? I read these comments. … I’m like, no, not at all. But maybe I should. I don’t know at this point. Is that what you want me to do? Do all these crazy things?”
As Jessica tries to focus on her game, keep reading to get the truth about her successful family:
Terry Pegula
Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Jessica’s father graduated from Penn State University with a Bachelor of Science in petroleum and natural gas engineering. In 1983, he reportedly launched the independent oil and gas company East Resources Inc. with a $7,500 loan from friends and family. In 2010, he sold the bulk of the company’s assets for $4.7 billion.
One year after selling his company, he bought the Buffalo Sabres. In 2014, Terry added to his sports portfolio when he outbid groups led by Donald Trump and Jon Bon Jovi to purchase the Bills for $1.4 billion.
Kim Pegula
After being born in Seoul, South Korea, Kim was adopted by Ralph and Marilyn Kerr at the age of 5 and grew up in Fairport, New York. After attending Houghton College, Kim was interviewing for a waitress job when she met Terry. He offered her a job at his natural gas company and the pair eventually married in 1993.
After welcoming three kids with Terry, Kim experienced a health scare when she went into cardiac arrest in June 2022. She reportedly suffered significant brain damage and memory issues and continues to undergo therapy.
“She loved to work. She did everything and our family constantly told her how she needs to slow down and take time for herself,” Jessica wrote in the Player’s Tribune in February 2023. “She was the woman behind my dad’s success and my dad would happily admit that. She jumped into this journey with him and learned many lessons along the way, breaking a lot of barriers. She was the shift in culture, positivity and the heartbeat of many of the employees. She gave everyone so much of her time and effort. She lived it and loved it, and it was felt by everyone she met. Now we come to the realization that all of that is most likely gone. That she won’t be able to be that person anymore.”
Taylor Gahagen
While Jessica’s professional accomplishments are hard to hide, she chooses to keep her personal life a bit more private. The tennis champion appears to have married Gahagen in 2021. He prefers to stay out of the spotlight as he works as a managing partner for Agarwood Wealth and Dracos Capital, according to LinkedIn.
He also serves as the vice president of Jessica’s skincare company, Ready 24, and helps her run her charitable foundation, A Lending Paw.
Kelly and Matthew Pegula
In addition to Jessica, Kim and Terry welcomed two other children named Kelly and Matthew. Both siblings choose not to post frequently on social media. However, the pair continue to support their parents at various Buffalo Bills football games.
They also cheer on their sister Jessica during her biggest competition days. Days before Jessica was set to compete in the 2024 US Open finals, Matthew sent well wishes via his Instagram Story when he wrote, “LFG FINALS BABY.”
Jessica also has two additional siblings — Michael and Laura Pegula — thanks to Terry’s first marriage with ex-wife Annie Shirley.
