Ezra Castro (Pancho Billa) has passed away

[SwampD]

7 hours ago, darksabre said:

Because children need to understand that being a sports fan is the best way to have your debilitating illness used as a promotional tool by people and organizations seeking to elevate their public standing. 

 

6 hours ago, SDS said:

I'm typically not a cynical person, but this is a 50-pointer.

I am typically a cynical person. This isn’t the typical patient/sports exploitation story.

This guy was in. All in. The Bills organization did nothing other than fulfill this guy’s wildest dreams before he died.

There’s a time to be cynical. Not sure this is it.

RIP

[Doohicksie]

1 hour ago, SwampD said:

This guy was in. All in. The Bills organization did nothing other than fulfill this guy’s wildest dreams before he died.

I can verify this.

[Stoner]

Would it hurt to have his name in the title with Pancho Billa in parentheses?

[Doohicksie]

I don't know.  How many people know him as Pancho Billa versus Ezra Castro?

[LGR4GM]

1 hour ago, PASabreFan said:

Would it hurt to have his name in the title with Pancho Billa in parentheses?

will do

[LTS]

16 hours ago, darksabre said:

 

I think this whole thing started out innocently enough. But it didn't take long for it to devolve into a situation where everyone apparently knew this guy and was his best friend.

I don't think he ever asked for all of this attention. I don't fault him at all.

Some here might think I'm being overly cynical, but Buffalo is a town that loves to congratulate itself every chance it gets, and this has been no different.

It stopped being about him a while ago. And I expect it will still be a while before people (and the Bills) have wrung all they can out of him.

Let's be honest here.  The Bills organization had to become aware of his situation somehow. Once they did, he had to agree to do all of this.  In the realm of culpability, he has it all. I'm not faulting him for that either.

As for how people feel about him, that's the typical celebrity syndrome. You see a person on TV, in their character, and you want to relate to them. You feel like you know them and then you begin to feel like they owe you something. 

The counter point to Buffalo congratulating itself is that you could live in a town where something like this is ignored. Everyone is too wrapped up in themselves to care about something like this.  Which is better?  I suppose it depends on who you are.

16 hours ago, SDS said:

Here is a 20-page topic if you are interested:

https://www.twobillsdrive.com/community/topic/215268-panchobilla-enters-hospice-has-now-passed-away

I'm not that concerned about it.  Thanks though! ?

16 hours ago, josie said:

He seemed like a great guy. ***** cancer. I like that he hoped for in lieu of flowers, people would donate backpacks full of school supplies. He had fame thrust upon him and he only used it for good. I will happily donate to a fund or charity in his name. Find the good in it, for there is little good in illness.

 

But i won’t deny the media circus surrounding him has felt ghoulish and unsettling at times. You can’t and shouldn’t brand suffering, use it as glue. But I guess that’s the risk any public tragic story will have. There were just a lot of times it felt exploitative to me- fine line between inspiring and exploitative.

 

I hope the media leaves his family alone. The last few days of people updating every gory detail of his days felt wrong. It’ll be hard to find peace with reporters in their faces. 

Again, he allows the "exploitation".  He recorded the BN video that was posted. He agrees to all of this.  The truly cynical would insinuate that he (or his family) will receive from kind of monetary benefit from the organization.  Even if that were the case I see nothing wrong with someone using their situation to help improve someone else's situation (even if it is their own family)... and there's a reason for it..

13 hours ago, North Buffalo said:

Its a heckuv a feel good but sad story, even if Bills are exploiting it a bit and with all the negativity out there right now, more stories like this are needed.  I showed my 14 year old and his response was seems like a lot of good people are dying lately but thanks for the video.  He said dont worry Dad you wont die from your 's because you are such an a.. then gave me a hug and told me he loved me.  Maybe because I was recently diagnosed it hits home...

And this is the reason... because it stimulates a conversation. It helps people cope with the situation that might be in their lives at that very moment. Perhaps without these videos people don't see that this is one way of approaching things and they ultimately take a much darker course through it.  Perhaps this offers a way of looking at things that helps people get through it.

I'm glad it helped.  And as always, all the best on getting through this NB.

--------------------------

The bottom line? You can choose to ignore it all if you don't like it.  If it resonates with you, then it's doing what it should, for you.  I can't see a downside to the whole situation. But people want to find a way to create one.  It's not just this situation, it seems it's every situation.  No one here would trade positions with him, I am pretty certain of that, so why find fault with how he chose to get through it?

 

[Doohicksie]

18 hours ago, darksabre said:

I don't think he ever asked for all of this attention. I don't fault him at all.

This is incorrect.  There is a small fraternity of "super fans" of NFL teams.  He used his notoriety for his own personal fulfillment:  He got a chance to interact with his favorite team in ways few fans do.  But he also used it in charitable endeavors, raising awareness and funds for various causes.  The guy did what he loved, and he loved his life.

Here is his obituary:  http://www.donnellyscolonial.com/obituary/ezra-castro.  Some of the DFW BIlls Backers were interested in attending the funeral, but it appears the family doesn't want the potential circus that could be come and have not disclosed funeral arrangements.  Since Ezra was a funeral director, I'm pretty sure we know *where* the visitation will be, but not when.  But more importantly, we want to respect the wishes of his grieving family by not turning a small funeral into a big public event.  Ezra enjoyed, that; I doubt Veronica in her grief does.

[DHawerchuk10]

God speed Pancho.  May you look down on a Bills Superbowl victory soon.

[Crusader1969]

17 hours ago, OhMyDahlin said:

It's awful he passed away, especially when considering he was only 3 years older than I am...really puts things in perspective.

However, I feel bad for the thousands of other Bills/Sabres fans who are sick with cancer and never even get a Pegula/Beane/Botterill signed card in the mail.


(I still find it odd that grown men dress up for sports games not played on Halloween...why don't the Sabres have any of these characters?)

sabres need a supporters club, all should congregate at one end of the stadium and chant the entire game.  The arena should allow them to bring in flags and drums, much like they do at soccer games.  I know the passion for the Sabres is there, just need a leader to get it moving  

any volunteers? Lol 

 

 

[Doohicksie]

1 hour ago, DHawerchuk10 said:

God speed Pancho.  May you look down on a Bills Superbowl victory soon.

Someone on the DFW Bills Backers posted, "It just dawned on me...Pancho is talking Bills smack with Jack Kemp, Cookie Gilchrist, Lou Saban and the rest of the '64/65 AFL Champions! Now I'm envious!"

Edited May 15, 2019 by Doohickie

[Doohicksie]

1 hour ago, Crusader1969 said:

sabres need a supporters club, all should congregate at one end of the stadium and chant the entire game.  The arena should allow them to bring in flags and drums, much like they do at soccer games.  I know the passion for the Sabres is there, just need a leader to get it moving  

any volunteers? Lol 

Considering RKru's Euro experience, I wouldn't be at all surprised if the Sabres became the next "Bunch of Jerks" to do post game cellies for the fans.  It'd be nice to one-up them to start a fan-based cheering section.

[shrader]

1 hour ago, Doohickie said:

Someone on the DFW Bills Backers posted, "It just dawned on me...Pancho is talking Bills smack with Jack Kemp, Cookie Gilchrist, Lou Saban and the rest of the '64/65 AFL Champions! Now I'm envious!"

I'd imagine that there's still a decent number of guys left from that team who might take issue with that statement.

[Doohicksie]

To be honest, I take issue with quite a bit of stuff Mike says  ?

[josie]

If anyone is interested there is a fund up- for every 10 dollars donated a child will get a backpack full of $100 worth of school supplies. Del Reid has more info on his twitter. Make a note of it being #PANCHOSPACK in his memory.

 

link is here: http://www.theteachersdesk.org/donate/

[Doohicksie]

From Facebook

Quote

Ezra's first celebration of life will be held this Saturday May 18, 2019. The service will be held at Christ Church Irving, 1750 E. Airport Fwy, Irving, TX 75062. Family will receive guest from 4:30pm to 7:30pm. We wish to honor Ezra's request and ask that everyone wear their favorite team jersey to the service. In lieu of flowers we ask for kids backpacks with school supplies for Panchospacks for Panchoskids. Details for El Paso viewing/service (possible Buffalo, NY) will be coming as soon as possible. We love you and Thank you all for your continued prayers and support during this difficult time.

❤️ Much Love, Veronica

 

Edited May 16, 2019 by Doohickie

[Pimlach]

Only at Sabres Space can a thread honoring a good man can turn into something else.  

 

It’s easy to see he was a loving person.  He made people happy, he could attract people in a positive way. RIP Pancho Billa. 

Edited May 16, 2019 by Pimlach

[maximus]

On 5/14/2019 at 7:05 PM, OhMyDahlin said:

It's awful he passed away, especially when considering he was only 3 years older than I am...really puts things in perspective.

However, I feel bad for the thousands of other Bills/Sabres fans who are sick with cancer and never even get a Pegula/Beane/Botterill signed card in the mail.


(I still find it odd that grown men dress up for sports games not played on Halloween...why don't the Sabres have any of these characters?)

He's a great guy and it's too bad he had cancer and died.  If he didn't have a funny costume like he wore, would he be this famous and deified ?  I don't get it.  People die of cancer every day, what makes him so special?  Maybe I'm missing something.  

[LTS]

4 minutes ago, maximus said:

He's a great guy and it's too bad he had cancer and died.  If he didn't have a funny costume like he wore, would he be this famous and deified ?  I don't get it.  People die of cancer every day, what makes him so special?  Maybe I'm missing something.  

You are.

The first is, I don't think he's being deified.

The second is, he did have the funny costume.

He's not any more special than anyone else, no one is. We all have our own value to the world.

However, he IS Pancho Billa and that that brand was built.  His character was known by many people and as such, the death of his character is also known by many.

That said, I'm sure if you bring up <insert cancer patient who died> people will still feel sympathy for the loss of life. The reach of their life might not be as great, and as such the response might be less, but it doesn't make their death any less relevant to those who had a relationship with that person.