Damar Hamlin Recognized At NFL Honors: ‘God’s Plan Was To Have A Purpose Greater Than Any Game In This World’
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin was recognized at the 2023 NFL Honors, along with the people who saved his life in January.
On Thursday night, all of the NFL’s most prominent stars were together to honor the league’s top players from the 2022-2023 season. In the middle of the awards show, Bills legend Jim Kelly and actress Sheryl Lee Ralph took the stage. They brought out all the medical personnel who helped save Hamlin’s life after he went into cardiac arrest on the field after he made a tackle. Hamlin took the stage to a standing ovation from the crowd and spoke.
He said:
First, I would just like to thank God for being here. Every day, I am amazed that my experiences could encourage so many others across the country and even across the world. Encouraged to pray, encouraged to spread love, and encourage to keep fighting, no matter the circumstances.
Suffering cardiac arrest was nothing I would have ever chosen to be part of my story, but that’s because sometimes our own visions are too small, even when we think we are seeing the bigger 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.
My entire life, I felt like God was using me to give others hope, and now, with a new set of circumstances, I can only say He’s doing what He’s always done. 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.
My third night awake in the hospital, I met a ICU doctor. His name was Yuseph. He told me he had a similar experience. He showed me he was okay, and that meant so much to me. There was so much uncertainty at the time, and him just coming to me, showing that I could live a normal life again. It meant so much to me in the moment.
So I want to give a big thank you to him and special thank you to everyone on this stage for everything they did for me. And thank you to everyone around the country and around the world who prayed for me and hoped for me. The journey will continue.
Hamlin turned around and embraced a group hug from the medical personnel on stage, and the crowd at the NFL Honors continued to give him a well-deserved standing ovation.
Watch above via NBC.
