BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — By now you’ve heard about this honorary Buffalo kid who’s from Ohio. The 10-year-old chose a trip here for some buffalo-style pizza over a Nintendo Switch for his birthday.
Sunday, he got his Western New York pizza and a whole lot more. Kenly visited Buffalo for Easter with his mom, Heather, who was born here. He had Franco’s Pizza on that trip, and the rest is history.
“I’m blown away. You know, I heard people always mention Buffalo is the City of Good Neighbors, but that wasn’t something like — the reception and stuff was really nice. Everybody’s really nice,” said Kenly’s mother Heather Getz.
Mom Heather Getz shared how her son chose Buffalo pizza over a Nintendo Switch for his birthday, and of course, Western New Yorkers ate it up.
La Nova Pizza reached out, wanting to make sure Kenly got his wish.
“For many years, I have the pizzeria on the West Side, and a lot of the inner-city kids, I would give field trips to them, and just like little things, you’re just showing these kids how to make a pizza, but to them, it means the world, it truly means the world,” added La Nova Owner Carla Todaro Pantano.
On Sunday, La Nova threw him a pizza party and a whole lot more.
Dion Dawkins, ever humble, showed Kenly how to make a pizza.
Dawkins told us, “I’m just very blessed and honored to be able to do this for him. You know, hopefully he’ll top it next year and get Josh or Stefon or somebody dope. But, I’m just happy that I can have an impact in this kid’s life, and it’s the small things that matter, and this ain’t cost nothing but time.”
And that really made Kenly’s day, who told us his favorite part of his birthday.
“Probably meeting Dion Dawkins and making the pizza,” Kenly said.
This birthday of a lifetime was a team effort. La Nova, Billy Buffalo and Dion, and the Bills all teamed up to help out.
“We just wanted to make sure that he had a really special day, and I really think he did,” added Todaro Pantano. And Heather got pizza recommendations from Bills Mafia.
“That just shows the fact of why Buffalo is so special, and that the people here are really what they preach,” Dawkins said.
Kenly’s thoughts on all the pomp and circumstance:
“I was just expecting to make pizza. I didn’t expect to have a bunch of people here and people recording me.”
“They’re loving it, so I know a lot more trips to Buffalo would be in the future,” said Kenly’s mother Heater.
Kenly’s mother confirmed to News 4, Franco’s Pizzeria, the first Buffalo pizza place he tried over Easter, sent Kenly a Nintendo Switch.
This pizza tour included Santora’s Saturday, now La Nova and they’re going to go back to Franco’s.
