NFL participant Damar Hamlin, who collapsed from cardiac arrest throughout a sport simply final month, has made a shock look to choose up an award.
The Buffalo Payments security confirmed up throughout the spherical of media occasions constructing to this Sunday’s Tremendous Bowl in Phoenix, Arizona.
Hamlin, 24, was considered one of 5 finalists for the NFL Gamers Affiliation group service award.
And he surprised journalists when he took to the stage to simply accept the accolade.
His arrival was greeted by sombre applause and he addressed reporters briefly – with out taking questions – earlier than accepting the trophy and a $100,000 (£83,000) NFLPA Alan Web page Group Award.
“It is a blessing to be a blessing,” stated Hamlin on the occasion in Phoenix.
Hamlin launched a basis known as Chasing M’s in 2020 to offer toys for youngsters in want in his hometown of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania.
The toy drive has now acquired practically $9m of donations since Hamlin’s collapse in Cincinnati, Ohio, far surpassing its preliminary fundraising goal of $25,000.
Hamlin was resuscitated on the sphere on 2 January and discharged from hospital after 9 days.
On 22 January he visited the staff facility because the Payments ready to face the Cincinnati Bengals within the NFL play-offs, and at that sport he made his first public look since his collapse.
Hamlin waved to followers from inside a stadium suite and he has posted video updates on social media. However Wednesday’s award ceremony was his first media look because the medical emergency.
“Giving again to my group has all the time been an enormous a part of who I’m,” he stated on stage on the NFLPA occasion in Phoenix. “I am grateful to my father, who is true right here behind me.
“Rising up and watching him do group days in our group, I used to be all the time ready on my time when it got here.
“With that being stated, I plan to by no means take this place as a right and all the time have an pressing strategy to creating a distinction in the neighborhood the place I come from and likewise communities the world over.”
