Damar Hamlin says he owes his life to his “savior,” Buffalo Bills coach Denny Kellington after being resuscitated from his on-field cardiac arrest Jan. 2 in Cincinnati.
In an interview to air on ABC Monday morning, Bill’s Safety opened up about his near-death experience and why he’s grateful Kellington took action after Hamlin collapsed during a Monday night football game against the Bengals.
“I literally owe my life to Denny,” Hamlin told Good Morning America co-host Michael Strahan. “He loves to say he was just doing his job, which is true. That night he literally saved my life by resuscitating me.
“Unless someone comes along that day with a sane mind and everything that’s going on in their personal life, just put it aside and be present in the moment to actually do their job right, that’s something I’m really grateful for that and don’t take it for granted.”
Hamlin, a 24-year-old ending his second NFL season, continues to recover from his cardiac arrest following his Jan. 11 discharge from a Buffalo-area hospital.
Damar Hamlin says he owes his life to his “savior,” Buffalo Bills coach Denny Kellington after being resuscitated from his on-field cardiac arrest Jan. 2 in Cincinnati
Bill’s assistant athletic trainer Denny Kellington takes the field prior to an NFL football game against the New England Patriots on Sunday, January 8th
The first responders who saved Hamlin’s life were recognized with a tribute video at NFL Honors before being invited onto the stage, and the man they saved was right behind them.
Hamlin made his second appearance in Phoenix on Thursday night during Super Bowl week, paying tribute to those who helped give him a second chance at life.
“All my life I’ve felt like God was using me to give hope to others and now with a new set of circumstances I can say He’s doing what He’s always done,” Hamlin said of the stage at the Phoenix Convention Center. “I have a long journey ahead of me, a journey full of unknowns and a journey full of milestones, but it’s much easier to face your fears when you know your destination.”
The Bills’ safety earned the NFLPA’s Alan Page Community Award on Wednesday, just over a month after Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest and required CPR on the field in Cincinnati.
He made another appearance on Thursday night’s “NFL Honors” after recognizing the training and medical staff of the Bills and Cincinnati Bengals, as well as the staff of the University of Cincinnati Medical Center — collectively referred to as “Team Damar.”
The Bills’ assistant athletic trainer, Denny Kellington, who performed on-field CPR for Hamlin, also earned a bit of recognition during the NFL Honors by earning a fifth-place vote for the NFL’s MVP award.
Once on stage, Hamlin personally thanked an ICU doctor named Yusef, who told him three nights after his hospitalization that he had gone through something similar.
“He showed me he was okay and that meant so much to me,” said Hamlin, who also thanked everyone on stage. “There was so much uncertainty at the time and only he came to me and showed that I could have a normal life again, it meant so much to me and my mother. I want to say a big thank you to him.”
In an interview that will air Monday morning on ABC, Bill’s security opened up about his near-death experience. “I literally owe my life to Denny,” Hamlin told ABC’s Michael Strahan. “He loves to say he was just doing his job, which is true. That night he was literally the savior of my life’
Hamlin collapsed on the field on Jan. 2 after colliding with Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. The sight of a top athlete nearly dying on the field shocked the NFL and the world.
In the days and weeks following Hamlin’s collapse, his toy drive received unexpected GoFundMe donations. “Chasing M’s” has since raised more than $9 million.
“Sudden cardiac arrest is something I would never have chosen to be part of my story, but that’s because even when we think we see the whole picture, our own visions are too small,” Hamlin said. “My vision was to play in the NFL and be the best player I could be, but God’s plan was to have a purpose greater than any game in this world.”
Hamlin spent nearly a week in a Cincinnati hospital before being flown to Buffalo, where he spent a few days in the hospital before being released on Jan. 11. He has made steady progress in his long recovery and appears at the Bills’ facility before they take part in their division game against Cincinnati.
Damar Hamlin poses for a photo with the Buffalo Bills medical staff during the NFL honors at Symphony Hall on February 9
Hamlin received the Alan Page Award and a standing ovation from his peers at NFL Honors on Wednesday.
“Every day I am amazed that my experiences have been able to encourage so many others across the country and even around the world – to encourage prayer, to spread love and to keep fighting, no matter what the circumstances,” Hamlin said.
Hamlin has announced that it will support young people through education and sports with the GoFundMe donations. He will also use proceeds from the sale of new t-shirts that say “Did We Win?” along with his hands in the shape of a heart to raise money for the Cincinnati trauma center that treated him.
“I told my teammates that you could give Damar Hamlin man of the year just because he made our country go forward and brought us together,” said Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, who was selected as the Walter Payton Man of the Year.
“(He) has brought to so many people the power of prayer, the power of community, the power of coming together and the resilience of not giving up and faith.”
Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin speaks to University of Cincinnati Medical Center staff during the NFL Honors Awards Show ahead of Super Bowl LVII