Statue of Buffalo Bills star Thurman Thomas returned to NY; Canadian fans say they rescued it

Former NFL star’s statue returned to western NY

ELMA, N.Y. — A pilfered half-ton chain-saw carving of former Buffalo Bills running back Thurman Thomas has been returned to western New York.

Thomas gave his wooden likeness a kiss Thursday after a crane unloaded the 1,000-pound pine statue at a sports training facility in Elma, outside Buffalo.

The statue was unveiled in a parking lot at nearby Ralph Wilson Stadium before last Sunday’s game. A Canadian man has told police he and some friends later rescued the 8½-foot statue from fans who were trying to burn it.

The statue was retrieved from Welland, Ontario, by the founder Carvings for a Cause, an organization created after thousands of Buffalo-area trees were toppled by a 2006 snowstorm. Proceeds from sales of carvings made from the damaged wood go toward planting new trees.