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'Fight of my life': Highmark Stadium construction leader battling cancer but holding on for opening day

It's a once-in-a-lifetime project and Billy Colern tells me he is going to see this through to opening day. You can watch my full story with Colern directly below.
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ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WKBW) — If you walk onto the job site for the new Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park you will find more than 500 skilled workers honored to be a part of building the new home of the Buffalo Bills, and one of the biggest construction projects in Western New York History.

One of those workers is Bill Colern, a 4th Generation Union Ironworker from South Buffalo.

Colern has worked in the industry for 27 years and is currently serving as General Foreman for the Ironworkers at the new stadium site.

Back in February Colern, a husband and father of 5 children, was diagnosed with Stage 4 Lymphoma. He is currently undergoing cancer treatment at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

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Bill Colern pictured here with his family.
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Despite going through weeks of debilitating chemotherapy treatment Colern's coworkers and friends at the stadium site tell me that he has never missed a day of work.

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Now his fellow union members with Ironworkers Local No. 6 in Buffalo are rallying around their friend by hosting a benefit to raise money for Colern and his family.

Benefit for Billy Colern:

  • Sunday, July 28
  • Ironworkers Local No. 6 Banquet Hall & Picnic Grove
  • 196 Orchard Park Road, West Seneca, NY 14224
  • 1:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
  • Tickets cost $30 and they include draft beer, soda, juice, water and food
  • There will also be an auction, 50/50 and door prizes

WATCH: We went on an exclusive tour inside the construction zone of the new Buffalo Bills stadium.

One year after groundbreaking: An inside look at the construction of the new Buffalo Bills stadium