Kelly Clarkson made NFL Honors must-see TV before Damar Hamlin stole the show.
The Bills safety’s remarkable recovery from an on-field cardiac arrest was celebrated during the two-hour show as he received the NFLPA’s Alan Page Community Award.
First responders who saved Hamlin’s life were recognized with a video tribute and then brought to the stage, followed by Hamlin.
“Every day I’m amazed that my experiences could encourage so many others across the country and even across the world — encourage to pray, encourage to spread love and encourage to keep fighting no matter the circumstances,” Hamlin said in a one-minute, 54-second speech Thursday night. “Sudden cardiac arrest is something I never would have chosen to be a part of my story, but that’s because our own visions are too small even when we think we see the whole picture. My vision was about playing in the NFL and being the best player I could be, but God’s plan was to have a purpose greater than any game in this world.”
The stage was filled with the athletic training and medical staffs from the Bills and Bengals, along with the staff at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. “Team Damar” received a standing ovation from the audience, along with a group hug and public acknowledgement from Hamlin.
Bills assistant athletic trainer Denny Kellington, who performed CPR on Hamlin on the field in Cincinnati on Jan. 2, even received a fifth-place vote for the NFL’s MVP award.
Hamlin singled out an ICU doctor named Yusef, who, three nights into Hamlin’s hospital stay, told Hamlin he had survived something similar.
“He showed me he was OK and that meant so much to me,” Hamlin said. “There was so much uncertainty at the time and just him coming to me, showing I could live a normal life again, it meant so much to me and my mom. I want to give a big thank you to him.”
Thursday marked Hamlin’s second public appearance in Phoenix this week. His return to the public eye came at the Bills’ divisional round playoff game against the Bengals as he watched the game from a suite.
“My entire life, I felt like God was using me to give others hope and now with a new set of circumstances, I can say he’s doing what he’s always done,” Hamlin said. “I have a long journey ahead, a journey full of unknowns and a journey full of milestones, but it’s a lot easier to face your fears when you know your purpose.”
Hamlin did not address his football future.