Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin has announced his plans for the millions of donations he received after collapsing on the field due to cardiac arrest during a January game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
While fighting for his life, Hamlin received around $10 million from supporters through GoFundMe and the Giving Back Fund. Now, Hamlin is helping pay it forward by using the money for his foundation.
“We have been very deliberate and intentional about taking our time to set my charity up properly,” the safety explained in a statement. “I’m excited to begin sharing news about programs we are creating to impact a generation of youth and give back to others.”
Hamlin’s foundation, Chasing M’s, uses sports, training, programming, and engaging activities to help develop the health and safety of today’s youth and help them chase the dream lives they want.
Hamlin started the Chasing M’s Foundation as a nonprofit in Pennsylvania while playing for the University of Pittsburgh in May 2020.
According to CBS Sports, Hamlin also plans to work with the American Heart Association to heighten CPR awareness.
Hamlin’s journey over the recent months has been well-documented.
After being treated in the ICU at the University of Cincinnati Health Center, he returned to Buffalo for further testing. He was then released and later returned to support the team at practices and from the sidelines, and he even attended the rematch between the Bills and Bengals.
The regular season matchup was registered as a “no contest” for both teams.
About three weeks ago, Hamlin was cleared to resume his football career.
“This event was life-changing, but it’s not the end of my story. So, I’m here to announce that I plan on making a comeback to the NFL,” Hamlin told reporters after returning to offseason workouts.
The Bills will begin their 2023 campaign in September against an opponent that will be announced by the NFL later this week.