NFL players and fans alike have been showing their support for Damar Hamlin over the past day by donating millions of dollars to a charity that he created coming out of college.
The Bills safety was taken to the hospital in critical condition on Monday night after going into cardiac arrest during the first quarter of Buffalo’s game in Cincinnati. The Bills announced early Tuesday that Hamlin’s heartbeat was restored on the field thanks to the quick action of the medical personnel at Paycor Stadium. The team also announced Tuesday afternoon that Hamlin is in critical condition after spending Monday night in the intensive care unit at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
With players and fans watching helplessly at home, many of them wanted to help and they did that by donating nearly $5 million to Hamlin’s charity. The 24-year-old started his charity in 2020, just after finishing his college career at Pitt.
Going into Monday night, Hamlin’s GoFundMe page had less than $3,000 in donations, but after watching what transpired on the field in Cincinnati, NFL players and fans sprung into action and proceeded to donate millions over the next 18 hours.
As of 5 p.m. ET on Tuesday, the donation total was at nearly $5 million and one of the biggest donations came from Tom Brady, who gave $10,000 to Hamlin’s cause. Wrestler Chris Jericho of the AEW also donated $10,000.
As for the NFL, Andy Dalton, Devin McCourty, George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, Marcus Jones, Myles Bryant, Andrew Whitworth, Lawrence Guy, Brian Hoyer, Lloyd Cushenberry and Trey Lance are other players or former players who donated at least $1,000. The Seahawks also made a $1,000 team donation to Hamlin’s charity.
Overall, nearly 170,000 people have donated to the cause.
“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. “I created The Chasing M’s Foundation as a vehicle that will allow me to deliver that impact, and the first program is the 2020 Community Toy Drive.”
Hamlin has been holding a toy drive annually since 2020 and he recently shared a video on Instagram of his most recent toy drive, which took place just a few weeks ago.
GoFundMe even did its best to help Hamlin’s charity by featuring it on Twitter Monday night.
Not only did fans donate to his charity, but hundreds of fans also showed up to hold vigil at the University of Cincinnati medical center where Hamlin is currently being treated.
The Bills safety collapsed with just under six minutes left to play in the first quarter after taking a shoulder to the chest from Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. Medical personnel on the field administered CPR and used an AED to get his heart beating again.
The game was temporarily suspended just before 9:20 p.m. ET and then the NFL called for a full postponement just after 10 p.m. ET. The NFL has announced that the game definitely won’t be played this week, although it hasn’t officially been canceled.
Hamlin is in his second-year with the Bills and has been with the team since they made him a sixth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Hamlin didn’t go into the 2022 season as Buffalo’s starting safety, but he was thrust into the job after Micah Hyde went down with an injury and his performance had been a bright spot for a Bills defense that has been one of the best in the NFL this year.