Buffalo Bills safety, Damar Hamlin, pays tribute to the dedicated medical team that saved his life by initiating a scholarship program for Cincinnati’s youth. Hamlin’s philanthropic foundation, ‘Chasing M’s,’ will bestow $1,000 scholarships to ten deserving individuals from the underserved communities in the area for the next three years.
Each of these scholarships will bear the name of the ten first-responders, nurses, and doctors who worked tirelessly to treat Hamlin after he suffered a cardiac arrest and was resuscitated on the field during a game in Cincinnati on January 2.
The announcement comes as the Bills return to Cincinnati to face the Bengals on Sunday night. A day prior to the game, Hamlin and the Bills arrived in the city, where the player personally unveiled the scholarship program during a dinner with the ten lifesavers.
In a released statement, Hamlin expressed his gratitude, saying, “I’m humbled by the opportunity to set up a scholarship program to honor this team of professionals — my Cincinnati heroes — who helped save my life,” Hamlin said in a released statement. “Today, as I look at honoring these Cincinnati heroes and lifting up young people who are trying to find their way, I’m reminded of the enormous blessing I’ve been given through my charity and the generosity of people around the world.”
Hamlin, originally from the Pittsburgh exurb of McKees Rock, himself benefited from a scholarship that enabled him to attend Central Catholic High School. He later played for the University of Pittsburgh and was drafted by the Bills in 2021.
While Hamlin established his foundation during his college years to give back to local youth, it was his collapse and recovery that garnered Chasing M’s over $9 million in contributions. He has since used his charity to distribute automated external defibrillators to community sports organizations and promote CPR training.
At 25 years of age, Hamlin resumed his professional football career by making the Bills’ roster in August. He has appeared in only one game this season and is not expected to play on Sunday night, as he currently holds the fifth and final safety position on Buffalo’s depth chart.
SOURCE: wmbfnews.com