‘It’s a Blessing to be a Blessing:’ Damar Hamlin Wins NFLPA’s Alan Page Community Award
By Movieguide® Contributor
Damar Hamlin made a surprise public appearance on Wednesday where he received the NFL Player’s Association’s Alan Page Community Award.
The Alan Page Community Award is the highest honor the Player’s Association can bestow, recognizing one player every year who goes above and beyond to give back to his team’s home city or his hometown community.
“Giving back to my community has always been a big part of who I am,” Hamlin said while accepting the award. “I plan to never take this position for granted and always have an urgent approach in making a difference in the community where I come from and also communities across the world.”
In the five weeks since his collapse on Monday Night Football due to cardiac arrest, Hamlin’s Chasing M’s foundation has raised over $9 million to donate toys to underprivileged families and communities.
The Alan Page Community Award will provide the foundation with an additional $100,000 that will continue to impact communities in need.
Following the trophy reception, Hamlin tweeted, “It’s a blessing to be a blessing.”
Hamlin also announced that he would be selling new T-shirts, emblazoned with “Did We Win?” to raise money for the trauma center in Cincinnati that treated him, showing gratitude for all those who supported him through his injury.
Movieguide® previously reported:
In his first public comments since going into cardiac arrest, NFL player Damar Hamlin expressed his gratitude and shared his vision for the future.
“What happened to me on Monday Night Football I feel was a direct example of God using me as a vessel to share my passion and my love directly from my heart with the entire world,” Hamlin said, “now I’m able to give back to the kids and communities all across the world who need it most, and that’s always been my dream.”
Hamlin was speaking of his Chasing M’s foundation, through which he raised over $9 million for children’s toys last December. Damar started the Chasing M’s foundation in 2020 as a way to give back to his community while starting his entrance into the NFL. Although the foundation only raised a couple thousand dollars in its first two years, it has seen an explosion of donations following Hamlin’s injury.
Hamlin understands the opportunity he has as an NFL player to be a role model to many, a responsibility he does not take lightly.
“It’s always been important to me to be a role model,” Hamlin said, “[I want to] be that example that they can look to touch, feel [and] talk to.” Hamlin is known in his western Pennsylvania hometown, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, to visit youth football practices, work out with the kids and sign autographs after practice.
In his comments, Hamlin also gave an extended ‘thank you’, expressing gratitude for the medical personnel who helped him recover, the NFL for rooting for him over team allegiances, his teammates who constantly reached out to him, his mom, dad and ‘lil bro’, and the children who sent him letters and heartwarming gifts.
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
