Damar Hamlin Awards ESPY To Buffalo Bills Training Staff That Saved His Life

Damar Hamlin honored the Buffalo Bills training staff that saved his life at the 2023 ESPY Awards.

On Wednesday (July 12), the NFL athlete took to the stage with tears in his eyes to bestow the first responders with the Patt Tillman Award for Service—an annual award presented to individuals who aid others in honor of Tillman, an NFL player who died in Afghanistan following the 9/11 attacks.

Before granting them the honor, Hamlin, 25, spoke about that pivotal January evening when he almost lost his life playing the sport he loves. “I didn’t wake up that morning in January thinking that I would need someone to save my life that day, and I doubt that the staff thought that they had to do what they did either,” he recalled.

“What I’ve taken away from what happened to me six and a half months ago, is that any of us at any given time are capable of doing something that’s incredible, in saving a life and living a life in service to others… It’s a blessing. It’s a responsibility. And it’s the very reason why you’re hearing my voice right now. Anyone could be a hero. These are mine.”

As the Bills training staff accepted the award, they gathered around the Pittsburgh native for a group hug. Nate Breske, the Buffalo Bills’ head athletic trainer, accepted the award and offered some insight into the staff’s mindset when they rescued Hamlin.

“I’m humbled and honored to [speak] tonight, representing the Buffalo Bills athletic training staff… By the grace of God and divine intervention, we had the best outcome we could have prayed for.

“It was a massive army of specialists who came together on and off the field to do their jobs that night. That team includes the athletic trainers and medical staff, equipment managers, players, engagement personnel, mental health clinicians, chaplains, security, on-field first responders, paramedics, and the entire medical staff at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.”

Marie Tillman Shenton, board chair and co-founder of the Pat Tillman Foundation, articulated their decision to give the award to Buffalo’s training staff. “It’s not an exaggeration to say that last January, when Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest on the field, the training staff at the Buffalo Bills organization exemplified the utmost strength and resilience, jumping into action to perform life-saving measures when they were needed the most,” Shenton said.

Damar Hamlin suffered a shocking injury during the Monday Night Football game against the Bengals on Jan. 2, 2023. The NFL star made a tackle on Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins and suddenly collapsed.

He was rushed to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he was sedated and listed in critical condition. Then, on Monday (Jan. 9), he was discharged from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and was briefly monitored at his Buffalo, NY, home. He has since fully recovered, and the Buffalo Bills approved him to play in the 2023-2024 season.

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