Cincinnati — One year has passed since Damar Hamlin’s on-field collapse during the Cincinnati Bengals vs. Buffalo Bills Monday Night Football game.
In the immediate wake of Hamlin’s cardiac arrest, Cincinnati and the nation as a whole came together to support his Chasing M’s Foundation and ensure the Bills’ safety.
The foundation was at the time collecting money for a McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, community toy drive for the kids there. A small target of $2,500 was set.
In just two days, over 212,000 donors had contributed over $6 million.
Chasing M’s Foundation is now doing much more than just a single community toy drive, precisely one year later. On his foundation’s GoFundMe page, Hamlin made a message expressing gratitude to backers and outlining the good deeds accomplished with the millions of dollars raised.
“As a donor to my charity, I didn’t want to let the New Year begin without reaching out personally to thank you,” Hamlin wrote in a letter. “This past year has been an incredible journey for my family and I, and the growth of my charity — through the generosity of people like you — is a great blessing to me.”
According to Hamlin, Chasing M’s was able to do a Thanksgiving turkey drive and a back-to-school drive for his neighbourhood in addition to his fourth annual toy drive.
In the wake of last year’s momentous occasion, Hamlin’s organisation also prioritised CPR instruction and training. On the night of his heart arrest, Hamlin was revived on the pitch by the Bills training staff and local emergency responders using both CPR and an AED.
With the American Heart Association, Chasing M’s travelled to Buffalo, Pittsburgh, London, and Cincinnati last year to provide AEDs to youth sports organisations and teach hands-only CPR.
“One of the things that has inspired me most is the real-life stories of people who were inspired to be CPR trained because of my experience, then turned around and saved the life of another this year,” said Hamlin. “It’s a blessing to be a blessing, and I’m so grateful to have this platform to give back to others, like people have done for me growing up.”
In addition, Hamlin established a scholarship programme to assist Cincinnati kids who want to enrol in a nearby private high school, trade school, or university in recognition of the ten “Cincinnati heroes” who helped save his life the previous year.
Ten $1,000 scholarships are given out by the programme, one for each of the drivers in Hamlin’s car, with cash committed for a three-year duration. It is intended to grant scholarships in its inaugural cycle in 2024.
