Beloved Buffalo Bills fan, Pancho Billa, has died following a fight against stage four cancer.
Our hearts broken as we have lost our dear brother ezra “Pancho Billa” this morning. We are thankful and forever grateful for all the love and support during this journey. Ezra was surrounded by family and loved ones. At this time we ask for privacy as we mourn our loss.
— Pancho Billa (@PanchoBilla1) May 14, 2019
You may know him as Pancho, but his real name was Erza Castro and surprisingly, he had no connection to Western New York. Castro was originally from El Paso, Texas and eventually moved to Dallas. But that didn’t hinder his love of the Buffalo Bills.
Castro was even invited to the 2018 NFL Draft in Dallas, where he announced the Bills’ selection of Harrison Phillips with the 96th pick.
Castro had even been honored by the BFLO Hall of Fame Experience and had made many trips up to Western New York to visit the hometown of his favorite football team.
Castro was diagnosed with stage four cancer in 2017.
A Bills fan through-and-through, and an inspiration to us all.
Pancho Billa, we’ll miss you. #VivaLosBills #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/yUDafu7m4O
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) May 14, 2019
#PanchoBilla Pancho wanted me to post this video after his passing. I shot this while he was in Houston MD Anderson hospital a few weeks ago. RIP Amigo https://t.co/og7vox7Q7x @TheBuffaloNews pic.twitter.com/U0Hmqpn0H2
— James P McCoy (@jmccoyphoto) May 14, 2019
Pancho Billa, the upbeat and resilient masked man who the @BuffaloBills organization and #BillsMafia rallied behind, has died after a prolonged battle with cancer. We came to know Ezra Castro through the years and with great sadness, we say #RIPPancho #PanchoPower #VivaLosBills pic.twitter.com/2ZFsD0vfmv
— News 4, WIVB-TV (@news4buffalo) May 14, 2019
#BREAKING: Ezra Castro, a prominent member of the #BillsMafia known to thousands of football fans as @PanchoBilla1, has died of cancer in Texas. https://t.co/p01yRnlhSJ
— The Buffalo News (@TheBuffaloNews) May 14, 2019
