Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin was the final speaker in UB’s Distinguished Speaker Series for the ‘24-25 academic year. He took the stage at the Center for the Arts on Thursday to share his story of recovering from life-threatening commotio cordis and the work he’s done across the country in learning from that experience.
Hamlin was drafted in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL draft from the University of Pittsburgh. A year later, he replaced an injured Micah Hyde and made a name for himself on the Bills defense. His story has been one about overcoming adversity and giving back to the community.
Before Hamlin delivered his presentation, he sat down for an interview with The Spectrum to discuss his work with the Chasing M’s foundation, his honorary doctorate from Canisius University and his go-to spot for wings in Buffalo.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
The Spectrum: What inspired you to found the Buffalo Heros Scholarship, and what do you hope it'll achieve for its recipients and the Buffalo community?
Damar Hamlin: Yeah, so what inspired me to do the scholarship was just trying to find a way to repay the trainers, you know, just kind of honor them in some way for saving my life. It's tough to try to think of a way to repay somebody for paying for saving your life. It took me a while, it was over two years after the incident, but ultimately, I thought that that was the best way to honor them for that moment, just naming a scholarship and their names, each of their names, and then being able to, you know, carry on their names. I remember in college, paying attention to the names that were in my locker and not knowing them, but knowing that they obviously played a significant role in someone's life for me to have the opportunity that I did at the moment. So it’s kind of that for me.
TS: The Chasing M’s Foundation has raised over $9 million, and has made your CPR tour possible in 2023. Can you tell us about how Chasing M’s has been going, and what you hope for its future?
DH: It's been going great. So I was able to do a national tour of going to a bunch of different states, being able to teach people CPR all over the country in a few weeks, in a week or so, going to Japan to do the same thing. And I have Brazil on schedule this year. So we're taking it to a whole another level, going international, trying to make some impact, and then just being able to create a rec center within my hometown community, which where a lot of kids don't really have equal access to resources as everyone else in the world. To be able to breed more people like me from, where I'm from, is exciting as well for the future chasing them foundation. So it's going well.
TS: You've been with the Buffalo Bill since getting drafted in 2021 and we saw that you recently renewed your contract. Do you have a favorite memory with the team or either on or off the field?
DH: It's hard to just pick one. Every day is a great memory, to be honest, like with the guys. I'm thinking of moments with Josh, but it's like everyday moments, he's just the epitome of our team. But I would just say, the entire last season, really. Being counted out so much early on, not expected to win our division, expected to be on a ‘rebuild year.’ Just being able to come together underneath, away from the rest of the world, and do what we did this season. I would put that as one of my top memories.
TS: I couldn't help but notice your chains, could you tell us a little about them and the number three?
DH: This was actually a gift from my friend Adam. He got me this chain right after coming back to life. It has on here, “spread love, show love, you never know who needs it.” And that resonated with him, so he just extended the love back to me. But number three has always been with me, my dad was number three, so I just kind of followed in his footsteps. I kind of made it my own thing, and it just became a part of who I am. So even when I got here I was always plotting on number three. We had a punter who was number three, and once his time came to an end, I asked Coach right away after my rookie season, and I was surprised he actually said yes. They just had made a rule where skill players could get lower numbers. So it all worked out. I think it was definitely destiny. I wear this from this one's kind of like special occasions.
TS: So we know you've been a Pittsburgh guy for many years, but now you're in Buffalo. We want to ask you some questions about the Queen City. Off the field. What's your favorite thing to do in Buffalo off the field?
DH: I love going to comedy shows. Every comedian comes to Buffalo. It's like week after week after week, the comedians come to Buffalo, and that's one of my favorite things to do. I love to go out, have a good time and laugh. So I got to see a lot of good comedians here.
TS: Favorite restaurant?
DH: Probably Giancarlo’s, I’m not gonna lie.
TS: Go-to spot for wings?
DH: There's a spot right by the stadium that's close to my house that I'll go to whenI'm hungry and I'm craving wings, but I literally can eat wings at any point of the day. I would give my go-to spot to Barbill. I'm actually gonna do a wing review series where I'm gonna go around to all the top wing spots and give my reviews, so you gotta let me know some spots to go to.
TS: A lot of players mention the difficulty about the transition from the collegiate level to the NFL. What was that transition like for you?
DH: I won't say it was an easy transition, but it was a smooth transition. I did the work early, I did the tough things in college to be able to understand and be ready for what was coming with going into the NFL. So once I got here, it was like I just stuck to my process that I already had developed in college. It made it such a smooth transition to where I didn't have to have any hiccups, you don't really have any time for those in the NFL. Once it's your opportunity, you got to make the most of it. That's just the nature of the business, that's how the league works. They chew you up and spit you out quick. How you counter that is being ready when it's your opportunity. And my process in college pretty much made me ready for my opportunity when it came.
TS: You joined the Canisius University class of 2024, after being awarded an honorary degree as a Doctor of Humane Letters. What was that experience like?
DH: It was an honor. I know how much work goes into actually getting a doctorate and the day in, day out grind. So to be able to sit next to people who have put the work in to get that title, it was an honor. I understand what it takes. I was just blessed, and I appreciated every moment of it. Dr. D-Ham.
Ricardo Castillo is the editor-in-chief and can be reached at ricardo.castillo@ubspectrum.com
Hannah Rashad is the managing editor and can be reached at hannah.rashad@ubspectrum.com
Ricardo Castillo is the editor-in-chief of The Spectrum.
Hannah Rashad is the managing editor of The Spectrum.
Photo: Paul Hokanson / UB Athletics
