'Damar Effect:' Bills' Hamlin Hosts Youth Football Camp in Buffalo
Since suffering cardiac arrest in the field of play in January, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin has been on a quest to give back to his community.
On Monday, Hamlin continued that quest by hosting a youth football camp in Buffalo. According to the Buffalo News, around 200 kids were invited through the Boys and Girls Clubs of Buffalo and the Buffalo Bills Foundation.
The kids in attendance got to enjoy a variety of activities besides football as well. There was a bounce house for them to enjoy, as well as access to normally pricey services such as free backpacks and haircuts, plus a free meal for all in attendance.
As with all of Hamlin's events, there was a distinct focus on health and safety at the camp. Hamlin partnered with the American Heart Association to provide Hands-Only CPR Education, which the AHA says around 75 people participated in. Zoll Medical, another partner of the event, also provided automatic external defibrillators at the event.
“It's about making sure they're safe,” Hamlin said, per the Buffalo News. “It's about making sure they're sharp. It's about making sure they have all the tools and all the resources at their hands.”
Since embarking on this quest, Hamlin has raised awareness for CPR training nationwide. AHA National Account Director Jennifer Pratt even dubbed the phenomenon as "The Damar Effect."
© Gregory Fisher, USA TODAY
“We certainly know his story,” Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said. “It's a story known all across the world. And there's a story he tells us the importance of CPR, everyone learning CPR, and the importance of having AEDs, which are both lifesaving.”
Hamlin also brought a few Bills teammates along with him, namely cornerback Dane Jackson, linebacker Tyrel Dodson and practice squad corner Ja'Marcus Ingram. Hamlin's parents, Mario and Nina Hamlin, as well as his younger brother Damir Hamlin, were in attendance as well, and they were able to see his impact firsthand.
“It was exciting, just to see it all come together in the one community,” Mario Hamlin told The News. “Just to feel the impact of everything that we’ve done this summer – it was exciting to be able to make that happen here in Buffalo.”
Damar Hamlin's incident was something no one wanted to see, but the safety has taken it as a chance to make a huge impact on the community.
