Bills’ Hamlin encouraging people to learn CPR

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Damar Hamlin has teamed up with the American Heart Association to encourage people to learn how to perform CPR.

In a video posted to Instagram, the Buffalo Bills safety announced the launch of the “Damar Hamlin 3 for Heart Challenge,” a three-step process for people to learn how to perform CPR and spread the importance of learning CPR to others.

“Once again, I want to thank everybody for the love and support over these past few weeks,” Hamlin said in the video. “As you know, CPR saved my life earlier this year on the field. And CPR could easily save your life or someone you love.”

The first step is to go to heart.org/3 and watch a one-minute video to learn hands-only CPR. Steps 2 and 3 are donations to the American Heart Association to fund CPR education and training, and other programs and research, and then sharing the challenge with three other people.

Hamlin challenged quarterback Tom Brady, former First Lady Michelle Obama and basketball player LeBron James.

When Hamlin collapsed on the field during the first quarter of the Bills’ game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 2, it was Bills assistant athletic trainer Denny Kellington that performed life-saving CPR on Hamlin. A variety of first responders, Bills athletic, training and medical staff members, medical personnel and health care providers that played a role in Hamlin’s recovery.

Hamlin stayed at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center for almost a week after suffering cardiac arrest during the first quarter of the Bills’ Week 17 regular-season game versus the Bengals in Cincinnati. He then flew to New York and spent about two days at Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute, before being discharged Jan. 11.

The 24-year-old made his first public remarks in a video posted on Saturday night, thanking everyone for the support over the last few weeks and sharing that he is excited for all that he will be able to do in the future to give back to kids and communities.

“I can’t tell you how appreciative I am of all the love, all the support and everything that’s just been coming in my way,” Hamlin said. “What happened to me on ‘Monday Night Football’ I feel is a direct example of God using me as a vessel to share my passion and my love directly from my heart with the entire world and I’m able to give it back to kids and communities all across the world who need it the most, and that’s always been my dream. That’s always been what I stood for and what I will continue to stand for.”