On Monday, Jan. 2, during an NFL game between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals, one of the worst fears of NFL fans became a reality. Damar Hamlin needed immediate medical attention in order to survive a cardiac arrest, which he suffered on the field. While still in critical condition, updates have been given that he has been making positive progress in his recovery, something that everyone has been hoping for.
After the injury, news spread of what kind of person Damar Hamlin is – a kind and humble man who wants to be a positive influence on kids and give back to his community. Videos popped up of him doing a toy drive in his native Pittsburgh area, something that is very near and dear to his heart. After the videos came the news that he had set up a GoFundMe for his charity.
What is his charity and how can you donate to it?
Damar Hamlin has a foundation called Chasing M’s, and they are currently doing a community toy drive. The mission of the foundation — which Damar created back before his rookie season in 2020 was to, in Damar’s own words, “positively impact children who have been hardest hit by the pandemic. 100% of the funds raised will go toward the purchase of toys for kids in need.”
On the site’s GoFundMe page, the foundation had a goal of $2,500. As of 12:00 PST on Wednesday, January 4th, the foundation has raised over $6.5 million, with more flooding in by the second. Many notable people have already made donations to the charity, including Russell and Ciara Wilson, Tom Brady, and Andy Dalton.
Damar plays for the Buffalo Bills, who have one of the most dedicated giving fan bases in history. Back in 2018, Andy Dalton helped beat the Baltimore Ravens, giving the Buffalo Bills their first playoff berth since 1999. After the game, as an appreciation for his efforts, the fans of the Buffalo Bills, named Bills Mafia, donated more than $415,000 to his foundation. Most of the donations were in $17 increments, as that is his jersey number. It is amazing to see this come full circle for a Buffalo Bills player and his foundation.
Let’s all keep Damar in our thoughts as he recovers from this horrific injury.