Following the shocking in-game collapse of Buffalo Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin on Monday, the athlete’s fans and supporters are doing some good in his name.
On Tuesday, donations to a community toy drive established by Hamlin surpassed US$4 million. The GoFundMe page was created by Hamlin, 24, to support his mother’s daycare program in Pittsburgh.
Though the GoFundMe had an original goal of raising US$2,500, the rate of donations skyrocketed in the hours after Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest during Buffalo’s pivotal Monday night showdown against the Cincinnati Bengals.
He was hurt while tackling Bengals receiver Tee Higgins on a seemingly routine play that didn’t appear particularly violent.
On the play, Higgins led with his right shoulder, which hit Hamlin back in the chest. Hamlin then wrapped his arms around Higgins’ shoulders and helmet to drag him down. Hamlin quickly got to his feet, appeared to adjust his face mask with his right hand, and then fell backward about three seconds later and lay motionless.
In a chilling scene, Hamlin was administered CPR on the field while surrounded by teammates, some of them in tears, while they shielded him from public view.
As of Tuesday morning, Hamlin remains in critical condition. He has been sedated and is being treated in hospital.
The donations to Hamlin’s toy drive continue to pour in. As of this writing, over 150,000 people have contributed to the cause, including professional wrestler Chris Jericho, who donated US$10,000.
The GoFundMe page was created in 2020. Hamlin said he established The Chasing M’s Foundation to run a community toy drive at his mother’s daycare centre that year. At the time, Hamlin was transitioning to the NFL after five years as a college football player for the University of Pittsburgh.
“As I embark on my journey to the NFL, I will never forget where I come from and I am committed to using my platform to positively impact the community that raised me,” Hamlin wrote on the GoFundMe page.
“This campaign gives you the opportunity to contribute to our first initiative and positively impact children who have been hardest hit by the pandemic,” he continued.
Hamlin concluded by thanking people “for supporting me on and off the field.”
“I am grateful to have the opportunity to work with you to help make the holiday season a little brighter for the kids in our community,” he wrote.
In December, the Chasing M’s Instagram account shared a video of Hamlin at the third annual toy drive. In the video, Hamlin and several kids, many of whom are decked out in Bills merchandise, pose for photos and play with their new toys.
Hamlin was drafted in the sixth round by the Bills in 2021. He played in 14 games as a rookie and then became a starter in 2022 once Micah Hyde was lost for the season to injury.
— With files from The Associated Press