Damar Hamlin
An NFL safety whose on-field cardiac arrest triggered a global conversation about athlete safety and rallied a nation.
Born 1998 (age 28)·American football player·Birthday: March 24·Generation Z
Biography
Damar Hamlin's football story is defined by a single, terrifying moment that transcended sports. A standout at the University of Pittsburgh, he was a sixth-round draft pick who worked his way into a starting role for the Buffalo Bills through grit and preparation. On January 2, 2023, during a nationally televised game, Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest after making a routine tackle. The swift medical intervention by trainers and doctors on the field saved his life. His recovery became a story of national hope, and his return to the NFL the following season was a triumph of human spirit. Beyond his play, Hamlin leveraged the attention to champion CPR awareness and fundraise for toys and community support through his Chasing M's Foundation, ensuring his legacy would be about more than football.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Damar was born in 1998, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Damar Was Born
The biggest hits of 1998
#1 Movie
Saving Private Ryan
Best Picture
Shakespeare in Love
#1 TV Show
Seinfeld
Damar's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1998Born
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2003Started school
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2011Became a teenager
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2014Could drive
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2016Could vote
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2019Turned 21
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 28 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Made a full recovery and returned to play in the NFL after suffering a cardiac arrest on the field in January 2023.
- His Chasing M's Foundation charity toy drive raised over $9 million following his injury.
- Earned a starting safety position for the Buffalo Bills in the 2022 NFL season.
Did You Know?
He launched his Chasing M's Foundation as a college student with a modest $2,500 toy drive goal.
He was awarded the NFLPA's Alan Page Community Award for his advocacy work after his recovery.
He earned his degree in communications from the University of Pittsburgh.
“I died on national TV in front of the whole world. I lost a lot of people in my life, and I know a lot of people lost people in their lives. And I just want them to know that you can bounce back.”
