Saying thank you after a close-call

Life has its share of emotional ups and downs, so when good things happen, I try to take notice.

I found that I couldn’t help but read up this weekend on Buffalo Bills Safety Damar Hamlin’s return to the field where he almost lost his life. Hamlin, 25, collapsed, suffering cardiac arrest during the Bills January 2 game against the Cincinnati Bengals’s at Paycor stadium.

Image by RDNE stock by Pexels.

A lesson for us all

On Sunday, Hamlin used his team’s road trip to Cincinnati to say thank you to the 10 medical staffers who worked to save his life, on the field, in the operating room and in his recovery at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. In their honor, Hamlin and his foundation awarded scholarships to 10 under-served young people in the Cincinnati area, aiming to help youths who aspire to attend private high schools or local trade schools and universities. The program is set to run for the next three years.

The act is relatively small one, the scholarships are for $1,000 each, but I found the act uplifting all the same.

Sunday’s game was the Bills’ first NFL game at Cincinnati since Hamlin’s collapse on the field forced officials to halt the game. Hamlin was in the process of making a tackle when he took a hard hit to his chest. When Hamlin attempted to walk, he crumpled to the turf. Emergency workers ran onto the field and acted quickly to restore his heartbeat.

Image by RDNE stock by Pexels.

Giving from the heart

After Sunday night’s game, Hamlin returned to the field alone, crouching near the Bengals’ logo at midfield. He has appeared in just one game so far this season, but he has been busy helping others: His foundation worked this summer with the American Heart Association in Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati to offer free CPR training to hundreds of people and distribute automated external defibrillators to youth sports groups.

In addition, Hamlin has set up a GoFundMe campaign to collect money for his hometown outside of Pittsburgh. More than $9 million in donations to the fund have come in so far.

When you hear about a good news story like Hamlin’s, you need to take notice. Here’s hoping Hamlin’s actions spawn ten other stories just like it and helps to remind us all that there really is good in the world.