The connections that the Buffalo Bills have with Western New York extend far and wide. It touches so many lives that it's sometimes easy to forget how many lives have been touched by the team and its associations.

This was on full display in late December when the family of a former Buffalo Bills cheerleader decided to surprise their wife, mom, and grandma with an unexpected gift.

What Are The Buffalo Bills Cheerleaders?

The Buffalo Bills had a cheerleading squad since the inception of the team in 1960, which at the time was just known as the Buffalo Bills Cheerleaders. The squad was disbanded at the end of the 1965 season and then reformed in 1967 by Jo Ann Gaulin as the Buffalo Jills.

The cheerleaders were an extremely popular part of the Bills sideline and community efforts for over 50 years until the squad was disbanded in 2014. The dissolution of the Jills came after a series of lawsuits filed by members of the squad alleging they weren't sufficiently paid for hours they had rightfully worked.

While the team disbanded the squad a decade ago, the Buffalo Jills Alumni Association is still active in the community. They hold a reunion every couple of years.

So What Was The Big Surprise?

The mom of TikTok User @kieraburridge is a former Buffalo Jill and travel executive here in Western New York. @kieraburridge and her entire family thought it would be a great idea to surprise the remarkable woman in their life by donning t-shirts with her picture from her days as the cheerleading team captain on them.

TikTok User @kieraburridge
TikTok User @kieraburridge
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Needless to say, the look on Maria Burridge's face is of pure joy when her entire family comes into the kitchen wearing her shirt.

You can check out the video for yourself below.

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