Donovan West, Sports Editor
@DWest_Courant
On January 2nd, 2023, the disastrous events relating to the hospitalization and collapse of Damar Hamlin shocked the nation. Hamlin, a safety for the Buffalo Bills, suffered a hit to the head-area in the first quarter of an NFL regular season game, falling to the turf shortly after.
The following week, January 8th, emotions were boiling over in Buffalo’s home stadium as Bills player Nyheim Hines returned the opening kickoff 96 yards to the end zone. All those watching were moved, enveloped by cheers and tears. As he saw this beautiful phenomenon unfold in front of his eyes, broadcaster Jim Nantz encapsulated the thoughts of millions watching with three short but impactful words. “This is storybook!” Nantz emphatically proclaimed.
Hines would go on to return a second kickoff later in the game- this one 101 yards- in a historic day that ended with the Bills defeating the Patriots 35-23 in the regular season finale. However, this moment wasn’t made special because of a kick return touchdown, or the Bills taking an early lead; this moment of triumph brought fans to their feet shouting words of encouragement because of the tragic events that occurred just a few days before.
Week 17 of the NFL saw a highly anticipated matchup of the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football. The game had huge playoff implications and Fantasy Football Championship implications, as well as being an event that pitted two of the best teams in the league against each other. It was set to be a fantastic night of football, a spectacle that would be remembered for years to come.
However, all of these things quickly became irrelevant. Shortly into the first quarter of the game, Bills safety Damar Hamlin was involved in a tackle of Bengals receiver Tee Higgins. Upon getting up, he promptly collapsed and stayed on the ground. The scene was terrifying. It was a time of panic, of sorrow. Everyone in the stadium and watching on TV was confused and panicked. However, thanks to the heroics of nearby medical personnel on the field, they rushed to his side and performed nine minutes of CPR in preparation for the ambulance to arrive. Players on the field encircled their fallen teammate and colleague, giving him privacy and protection with their thoughts and prayers. Hamlin was then rushed to the hospital, and since that day has been making steady progress towards full recovery.
The event sent the NFL world into a chaos of goodness. Players across the league united around their belief in Damar Hamlin, and people across the world began engulfing the Hamlin family and friends with love. Across the world, people’s thoughts were portrayed behind the simple hashtag, “Pray for Damar.” Hamlin had previously begun a toy drive for kids in need, and this charitable cause has raised over $8 million, embodying the support that has been shown.
This scary and once-in-a-million occurrence not only showed the character and fight of Damar Hamlin, but also the unity that is possible within the country and world. The countless prayers and love showed welcomed Hamlin back to the world to an abundance of possibility, where his first question to the doctor upon waking up was, “Did we win?”
