ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WKBW) — Weather in Western New York always likes to make things interesting for people when traveling. In the case for California residents Patrick and Colin McCuen, it almost canceled their trip to the Bills game altogether. Despite growing up in California, The two grew up as Bills fans because their mother is from North Collins.
Patrick made a promise to his brother earlier in the year that if the Bills secure a home playoff game, he would fly both himself and his brother Colin out to the game. Immediately after the Bills beat the Dolphins and secured the home game, the brothers booked their trip out to Western New York.
"That last interception we were like, okay when are we going," Patrick said. "We planned it out and we're from California, we're not used to weather doing this."
Native to the San Francisco Bay Area, Patrick lives in San Diego and Colin lives in the Bay Area. The two met in Los Angeles and left Saturday morning, traveling to Atlanta first. Despite knowing the chance for delays, the two trekked on.
"What I was saying is all I need to do is get to this state." Colin said. "As long as we can get to New York, we'll figure it out then."
Landing in Atlanta, that is when the disruptions began for Patrick and Colin.
"We were supposed to get in Saturday night, but they delayed it 10-12 hours," Patrick said. "So we didn’t get in till Sunday morning, early afternoon into Buffalo."
When they arrived in Buffalo, the travel bans were still in effect, so their family members here in the region were unable to pick them up. That's when they met Rob Kozak, a Hamburg resident who also flew in from Atlanta. After creating small talk with Patrick and Colin and all of them looking for a way to get out of Buffalo-Niagara, Rob took upon himself to get all of them somewhere to relax.
"I told them I got you guys. I'll find somewhere we can go eat," Kozak said. "I talked to one of the cabbies and he said he would drive us only on Genesee street cause of the driving ban. So he took us to the 365 sports bar at the Buffalo Airport Hotel."
All of them got settled at the bar. When the three of them did, Rob took a picture and posted the photo on Facebook with the caption — "My new friends from the San Fran Bay Area, Colin and Patrick. Their mom grew up in North Collins. They grew up as Bills fans and came in for the game."
Now, when they say, everyone knows everyone in Buffalo, they really do.
"As soon as I put that up, a guy went to high school with, his wife, says that’s my kids cousins," Kozak said. "And next thing you know all their phones are going off like you’re with Rob. Rob will take care of you. It’ll be okay don’t worry about."
During their visit at the bar, all three of them got a nice surprise as Bills fans, meeting former Bills Linebacker Darryl Talley.
After getting food at the bar, the three of them stayed the night at one of Rob's peer's home. The next morning, Rob and his peer drove Patrick and Colin down to Highmark Stadium where their aunt works at stadium operations.
The snow was still piled high in Highmark at the time Patrick and Colin got there. Despite the 48 hours of cross country travel and bouncing around Western New York, the two got their snow gear on and helped shovel out.
"I’ll do it after everything getting questionable sleep, in random places. And then have a couple of minutes of a break before I have to gear up and get to shoveling after 48 hours of traveling," Colin said.
What almost turned into a nightmare of a travel story, turned into a blast of an adventure for McCuen brothers. It's not stopping either.
Patrick and Colin planned to stay in Western New York to visit relatives for a few days after the game. With the second snow storm leaving over 5 1/2ft in some parts of the region and the Bills hosting another playoff home game, Patrick and Colin's family convinced them to stay for the full week.
Both of them will be attending the Bills' Divisional round game against the Kansas City Chiefs. And of course, they wanted to leave everyone with this message:
"Go Bills!"
