HAMBURG, N.Y. — After a day of practice and meetings, Damar Hamlin spent the two-year anniversary of his cardiac arrest with the people that played a pivotal role in saving his life.
The Buffalo Bills safety along with his parents and brother, Damir, hosted the team’s athletic training staff, and their families, that played a pivotal role in saving his life at a dinner to thank them.
At almost two years to the minute since his cardiac arrest, he then surprised them with an announcement — Hamlin’s Chasing M’s Foundation is starting a youth scholarship program in Buffalo in their honor.
The Buffalo Heroes Scholarship will support underserved high school and college-bound students who hope to attend Buffalo-area private high schools, trade schools or universities. Hamlin attended Central Catholic High School in Pittsburgh with financial support.
The funding includes a total of $1,000 per student for 10 scholarships annually over a three-year period. Information for applying will be available at chasingmsfoundation.com beginning Feb. 1. Chasing M’s started a similar scholarship last year in Cincinnati, on the first anniversary of his cardiac arrest.
The athletic training staff brought a gift of their own for Hamlin: His version of the Pat Tillman Service Award ESPY’s trophy awarded to the group in 2023. The room was filled with emotions with the news and how much has taken place since then.
On Jan. 2, 2023, Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest in front of the world during a “Monday Night Football” game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
In the 24 months since that night, Hamlin spent time recovering physically and mentally, returned to the field and earned a starting job on the Bills defense this offseason. He also has worked to give back, hosting Hands-Only CPR learning events with American Heart Association, turkey drives and his annual Toy Drive in his hometown of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania in Pittsburgh. The HEARTS Act was also signed into law by President Joe Biden late last month — a bill that Hamlin supported — that aims to improve access to resources for heart health around the country.
The Bills secured the No. 2 seed in the AFC by beating the New York Jets over the weekend. The team is hopeful for Hamlin’s return in Sunday’s matchup vs. the New England Patriots (1 p.m. ET) as he recovers from a rib injury that led to him missing the past three games.
