Damar Hamlin’s Toy Drive Fundraiser Explodes By Millions Of Dollars After He Collapses On Field: Report

An online fundraiser hosted by Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin to buy toys for underprivileged children exploded by millions of dollars after he collapsed on the field during Monday night’s football game.

Six minutes left in the first period, Hamlin fell to the ground after he tackled Tee Higgins, a Cincinnati Bengals receiver after a 13 yard catch. Hamlin fell to his knees after the tackle.

“Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest following a hit in our game versus the Bengals,” The team released a statement. “His heartbeat was restored on the field and he was transferred to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment. He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition.”

Hamlin’s fundraiser was created in 2020 to deliver toys to “Kelly and Nina’s Daycare Center” in Pennsylvania. The original fundraising goal was $2,500

A cached version of the fundraiser page showed that before the tragedy from last night’s game, the fundraiser had only raised $2,921.

After his ambulance ride off the field, donations were made for the page surgedBy the early hours of Tuesday morning, the figure had risen to $3.1 million.

Hamlin’s fundraiser states:

As I begin my journey to the NFL I will never forget my roots and I pledge to use my platform to make a positive impact on the community where I was raised.  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.  

This campaign will allow you to support our first initiative and make a positive difference for children who have been most severely affected by the pandemic.  100% of the funds raised will be used to purchase toys for children in need. The time to act is now, as we will be distributing toys on December 22nd from 3:30 to 5:30 PM from Kelly and Nina’s Daycare Center at 800 Russellwood Ave., McKees Rocks, PA 15136.  

You can also support the initiative by making other financial contributions if you are unable to donate monetarily.  Donations of toys are welcome at the Daycare Center. You can also spread the word about this fundraising event on your social media channels.  

I am grateful for your support on and off the field.  It was a pleasure to be able to collaborate with you in making the holidays brighter for our children.

The New York Times reported Medical professionals performed CPR on the 24-year old athlete, while stunned fans and millions of others watched at home.

Joe Buck, ESPN’s play-by-play broadcaster, said that the network was given a heads-up that teams had five minutes to warm back up to get ready to resume gameplay.

However, Troy Vincent, the executive vice president of the NFL’s football operations, suggested that was not true in remarks to reporters after the game.

“Neither coach was talking about resuming play, the players were not thinking of resuming play,” Vincent. “How do you resume play after seeing such a traumatic event?”

“It wasn’t about proceeding with the game,” Vincent was also added. “The competitive aspect never crossed my mind, never crossed our minds.”

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