A Pennsylvania charity, the Chasing M’s Foundation, hosts an annual toy drive for children in the Pittsburgh suburb of The McKees Rocks, PA. Buffalo Bill’s Damar Hamlin set up the charity with a GoFundMe goal of raising $2500.00 in donations in his hometown. When Hamlin collapsed on the field after suffering cardiac arrest during his Monday night game, funds poured into his charity from fans longing to show love and support for him and his family.
Damlin is currently sedated and in critical condition, according to an official statement by the Buffalo Bills.
As of Tuesday morning, nearly $4 million has been donated to the fund.
On Tuesday, Hamlin’s family released a statement thanking the public for their love, support, and generous donations to Damar’s charity. They were not able to provide an update on his medical condition at the time.
“On behalf of our family, we want to express our sincere gratitude for the love and support shown to Damar during this challenging time. We are deeply moved by the prayer, kind words, and donations from fans around the country.
We also want to acknowledge the dedicated first responders and healthcare professionals at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center who have provided exceptional care to Damar. We feel so blessed to be part of the Buffalo Bills organization and to have their support. We also want to thank coach Taylor and the Bengals for everything they’ve done. Your generosity and compassion mean the world to us.
Please keep Damar in your prayers. We will release updates as soon as we have them.”
Update from Damar Hamlin's family thanking public for their love, support, and donations to Damar's charity. No medical update. Family says they'll share that when they have more. https://t.co/2J9j0cJ7Lh
— Garrett Tenney (@Garrett_FoxNews) January 3, 2023
Hamlin’s charity is in its third year and featured video footage of the numerous toys purchased for kids, along with the NFL player taking time to pose for photos with fans and even playing basketball with a tiny fan.
Damar Hamlin’s third annual toy drive is approaching $1M in donations. His original goal was $2,500. Thank you to everyone who donated to Damar in his selfless efforts to help kids in need. Here is the link to his charity as well:https://t.co/tcFOCC6vqD pic.twitter.com/EQOXB31Olw
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) January 3, 2023
According to one Twitter fan, the generosity has renewed his “faith in humanity.” As of December, the fund for the charity had yet to reach $3,000. But after Monday night, the fund rose significantly, with an average donation of $28 and 3 donations made every second during the initial 12 hr span following the heart-breaking scene on the field.
Over $4,000,000 was raised for Damar Hamlin’s charity, I still have faith in humanity pic.twitter.com/qC2nmJEPMj
— JP (@JPfromRange) January 3, 2023