Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is honoring the Cincinnati medical team that helped save his life by establishing a scholarship for Cincinnati youth.
“Last night I had dinner with my heroes. 10 of the UC Medical Staff that helped save my life,” Hamlin wrote on social media. “I surprised them with a scholarship named after each of them that will support youth in Cincy to chase their dreams. Wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them!”
Hamlin’s Chasing M’s Foundation will award $1,000 scholarships to 10 individuals from Cincinnati’s underserved communities for the next three years. According to a news release, each of the individual scholarships will be named after the 10 first-responders, nurses and doctors who tended to Hamlin after he went into cardiac arrest on the field and was resuscitated during the Bills’ game at the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 2.
The announcement of the scholarships comes on the same weekend that the Bills meet the Bengals at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati in what will be an emotional return for Hamlin and the Bills.
“I’m humbled by the opportunity to set up a scholarship program to honor this team of professionals – my Cincinnati heroes – who helped save my life on January 2,” Hamlin said in a news release. “I created this scholarship program to recognize each of them for what they have done for me, while also lifting up kids in underserved communities who are in need of some support as they look to go to a private high school, trade school or on to college.”
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Hamlin, who is in his third year in Buffalo, is a healthy scratch for Sunday night’s game. The reserve safety has played in one game this season.
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.