Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin earned the NFL’s Community MVP recognition for Week 18 by organizing a toy drive for children in his hometown during the holiday season. In McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, a suburb near Pittsburgh, Hamlin’s initiative successfully distributed over 2,000 toys, 50 bicycles, and numerous books to 750 children. During the event, the NFL player donned a Santa suit as he personally handed out the gifts, posed for photos with the excited kids, and spread joy throughout the community.
Less than a year following his cardiac arrest on the field during the first quarter of a January 2023 game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Damar Hamlin organized his fourth annual toy drive. Despite the medical episode, Hamlin made a successful comeback to the NFL and participated in five games for the Buffalo Bills this season, contributing with two tackles.
There’s potential for more accolades for Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, as he is a leading candidate for the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award, a distinction he shares with Browns quarterback Joe Flacco. During his recovery from the cardiac arrest incident in a Cincinnati hospital, approximately $9 million was generously donated to support Hamlin’s charitable endeavors. Some of these funds were utilized to finance the successful toy drive that brought joy to numerous children during the holiday season.
