Following the Bills’ Week 2 win over the Titans, Damar Hamlin provided a key perspective when asked if she’d seen teammate Dane Jackson on a stretcher.
“Life is bigger than football,” he said said.
Monday night it was Hamlin who was forced off the field in cardiac arrest as security received CPR, was taken away in an ambulance and later listed as in critical condition by the NFL after attacking the Bengals’ Tee Higgins.
After a Week 2 win against Tennessee, Damar Hamlin opened up about how Buffalo Bills teammate Dane Jackson was pulled off the field after suffering a serious injury and summed it up perfectly:
“Life is bigger than football.” pic.twitter.com/5Ba1ZyeEvs— Eric Rueb (@EricRueb) January 3, 2023
Damar Hamlin pictured alongside his mother Nina before the Bills played the Browns in an NFL game on November 20 – Hamlin has spoken about how close he is to his family
Portrayed as a young football player, Hamlin has become the NFL’s ultimate role model
Hamlin, No. 3, collapsed on Monday night while playing for the Bills just after making a tackle and his team later confirmed the 24-year-old was in cardiac arrest
Hamlin’s family watched his game against the Bengals and came onto the field to be with him as he was taken to the ambulance.
On November 20, Hamlin was captured and greeted his family before Buffalo’s victory over Cleveland. hugs his mother Nina allegedly for the second time in this foreplay.
The heartwarming video is representative of his commitment to family.
Hamlin was born when his mother was only 16 years old. He said he is “extremely close” to his family and that played a role in his decision to stay close to home while in college.
“I have a little brother [Damir Hamlin]he’s six years old now and that was probably the main reason I chose Pitt,” he told News 4 Buffalo after being drafted by the Bills two years ago.
“I just stay close to my family and then have my little brother around so I can be a role model for him and just show him examples from life that I never really had,” Hamlin said.
Damar Hamlin is a truly wonderful and special person. He made a tremendous impact on his community long before he made it to the NFL – as you’ll see in the video below. Please pray for Damar and his family. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/YztM3jNp96
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) January 3, 2023
Hamlin has spoken to his little brother Damir (pictured) about “being an example I never had”.
Known for his charitable work, Hamlin has established a toy foundation that distributes gifts to underprivileged children – pictured here in December 2020 at work for the scheme
Hamlin is pictured alongside his parents in a throwback Instagram post shared by the Bills player
This mission to be a role model extended beyond his family.
Before Hamlin was a 24-year-old, a sophomore for Buffalo with 30 games under his belt, he showed a commitment to charitable causes in his local community.
A video showed up Monday night by Hamlin, who attended a children’s toy drive while at Pitt, where the aspiring player spoke about his reasons for giving back.
“Only see role models in person. I feel like that’s a big part of kids’ lives, and we haven’t always had that in Pittsburgh,” he said.
“Just being younger and seeing the difference from some people who had those role models in their lives.
“It could be you, all you have to do is work hard, stay focused. I am grateful that I can even be in this position to give back.”
Hamlin also established The Chasing M’s Foundation to “positively impact the community that raised me,” with the charity’s first program, a toy drive for the holidays in December 2020.
He explained his motivation for giving back on the toy drive’s GoFundMe page, with his third annual toy drive taking place last week.
“As I embark on my journey into the NFL, I will never forget where I came from and I am committed to using my platform to positively impact the community that raised me,” he said.
Hamlin introduced himself alongside mum Nina during his playtime as a kid – he said he chose to stay close to home when he went to college so he could be close to his family
24-year-old Hamlin (right) earns a salary of $825,000 playing for the Buffalo Bills
“This campaign gives you the opportunity to contribute to our first initiative and make a positive impact on children hardest hit by the pandemic.
“Thank you for supporting me on and off the pitch. I’m grateful to have the opportunity to work with you to make the holiday season a little brighter for the children in our community.’
Originally set for a goal of $2,500, the page was inundated with donations Monday following news of his serious injury, with the page having $2.6 million in donations at the time of writing.
That’s nearly double Hamlin’s base salary of $825,000 this season.
A quick scan of the page reveals congratulations from fans of the 49ers, Cowboys, Eagles, Chiefs, Dolphins, Giants and more.
Fans waited outside the University of Cincinnati Medical Center all night after Monday’s game, waiting for good news about Hamlin’s condition
“Damar was always the type of guy who made me proud to be a Pitt graduate. It’s the least I could do during this difficult time,” said one person.
Hamlin’s friend and marketing rep Jordon Rooney said on Twitter that “player vitals are back to normal,” while his agent Ira Turner told NFL Network there were “no updates.”
The Bills will pray that their teammate is okay.
And the Pittsburgh community will be hoping that a beloved community figure pulls through.