Sabres send NHL Draft tickets to Buffalo Bills superfan fighting cancer

DALLAS - The eruption as Rasmus Dahlin was selected No. 1 in the 2018 NHL Draft came from a group of locals decked out in Buffalo Sabres gear, plus one notable character in his famous, dazzling Buffalo Bills-themed luchador getup.

Ezra Castro, the Bills superfan known as "Pancho Billa," was in the house at American Airlines Center in Dallas to support the Sabres, who sent around 20 NHL Draft tickets to the Dallas-Fort Worth Bills Backers chapter.
The Bills invited Castro on stage to announce their third-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft in April at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, shortly after Castro announced he had been diagnosed with cancer.
Sending the NHL Draft tickets was the latest show of support for Castro from Pegula Sports and Entertainment, which owns the Bills and Sabres.

"It means the world to me," Castro said. "I thank God every night for it. The whole city has just become my family. I was told I'm an honorary Buffalonian -- from Texas! And trust me, I'll take it. It really means a lot to me."
Castro is undergoing chemotherapy every two weeks, and had surgery to remove a large, cancerous mass that was pressing against his spine in December. He completed his latest chemo treatment just two days ago.
"God's blessed me to take the treatments well and recover real quick," Castro said. "I follow doctor's orders, I sleep, stay active, and here I am. Can't be more blessed than I am right now."
Fellow fans have raised more than $25,000 for Castro to help with his medical costs in
the last six months through a GoFundMe page
, and have tweeted encouragement through the hashtag #PanchoPower.
And even though he's an admitted hockey novice, Castro was thrilled to witness such an important moment in Sabres history.
"Much love to the city of Buffalo," Castro said. "They've been behind me 100 percent. It's awesome to be here and chant Dahlin's name."