26 Shirts and The Teacher's Desk in Buffalo have raised more than $50,000 — and counting — in less than 24 hours, all in the memory of Erza Castro, better known to many as Bills superfan “Pancho Billa.”

• One of Pancho Billa's last wishes was for people to donate backpacks with school supplies to kids in lieu of flowers
• 26 Shirts and The Teacher's Desk have partnered up to make that a reality
• More than $40,000 has been raised in Pancho's honor

"Overwhelmed doesn't even begin to describe it," said John Mika, the director of The Teacher’s Desk.

Castro died Tuesday after a long and hard fight with cancer. Instead of flowers, he asked that people donate backpacks full of supplies for kids in need.

On Wednesday, 26 Shirts and The Teacher’s Desk, a nonprofit that provides school supplies for classrooms and kids, decided to partner up to help.

They announced their campaign to raise money for the backpacks late in the afternoon, and in only a few hours, they raised around $19,000. The next day, that number more than doubled.

"To me it's a miracle that he put that line in there that his wish would be helping kids, what a heart,” said Mika. “Everyone I talk to said he had a heart overwhelmingly filled with love. I wish I'd met him, but his legacy will live on through these backpacks."

Now, almost 4,000 kids in Western New York — and even kids in Castro’s hometown of Irving, Texas — will receive what they are calling “Pancho Packs.”

For a donation of $10, bookbags will be filled with $100 worth of school supplies. On the bag will be tags that have a cartoon character of Pancho.

"He always talked about how much the city of Buffalo gave him and so this is a great way for him to give back and so we are helping make that happen,” said Del Reid, the owner of 26 Shirts.

Both say they are blown away by the support, but also not surprised.

"Everyone is like, ‘I can't believe it.’ I can believe it,” said Reid. “Fans have shown so many times over the years they take that call to action and they do something positive in the community based on their fandom or love for a fellow fan."

"It's Western New York, it's what we do,” said Mika.

The bags will be filled this summer and distributed this fall. Anyone who wishes to volunteer to help put the bags together can sign up — as well as donate — online through The Teacher’s Desk.