Bills' Damar Hamlin Thanks GoFundMe Donors One Year After Cardiac Arrest Episode
One year has passed since Damar Hamlin's life was saved after a scary cardiac arrest episode while his Buffalo Bills battled the Cincinnati Bengals. His gratitude and goodwill, however, have yet to waver.
Hamlin used the Jan. 2 anniversary of the incident to thank those who had donated their time and money to his various causes, which benefited from the generosity of observers after the since-canceled Bengals game. The Bills' safety vowed to continue getting involved himself, refusing to let such efforts go to waste.
Hamlin penned his thanks on the GoFundMe he organized before the visit to Cincinnati, one made to benefit and spread awareness for a toy drive sponsored by his self-made charity, the Chasing M's Foundation.
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"As a donor to my charity, I didn’t want to let the New Year begin without reaching out personally to thank you," Hamlin wrote. "This past year has been an incredible journey for my family and I, and the growth of my charity - through the generosity of people like you - is a great blessing to me. In addition to returning to the NFL this fall, I’ve spent time creating the mission of my charity, which is focused on empowering youth and lifting up people who face adversity."
Hamlin was particularly inspired by those who looked into cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training in the wake of his incident. The process, performed by both Buffalo and Cincinnati doctors and trainers, has been commonly credited with saving Hamlin's life in a vital time window.
"One of the things that has inspired me most is the real-life stories of people who were inspired to be CPR trained because of my experience, then turned around and saved the life of another this year," Hamlin continued. "It’s a blessing to be a blessing, and I’m so grateful to have this platform to give back to others, like people have done for me growing up."
Hamlin capped off his note of thanks by listing and thanking those responsible for helping him in his countless accomplishments off the field, ones that include CPR awareness, availability, and training set up through the Chasing M's Foundation. Fans from Buffalo and beyond continue to donate to Hamlin's toy drive: as of press time, the fundraiser has obtained over $9.1 million long exceeding its goal of $2,500.
With the regular season of his improbable comeback year drawing to a close, Hamlin appears to be a favorite for the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year Award. Over the first 17 weeks, he has appeared in five games as a defensive reserve and a personal protector on punts.
Hamlin and the Bills close the regular season on Sunday night against the Miami Dolphins (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC).
