Editor’s note: Three years ago, Damar Hamlin went into sudden cardiac arrest following a routine tackle during a Monday Night Football game in Cincinnati. Doctors later realized that at 24, Hamlin experienced Commotio cordis, a type of cardiac arrest that happens after a blow to the chest. After spending two days in a medically induced coma, Hamlin needed extensive physical therapy, but returned to the NFL in October 2023.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Damar Hamlin, spokesperson for Qunol’s Champion at Heart campaign. It has been edited for length and clarity.
Going into cardiac arrest on national TV wasn’t the biggest adversity I’ve encountered — not even top three. Losing friends to gun violence, that’s the toughest thing I’ve faced. Losing my dad to the criminal justice system, to incarceration. Being a young man who had every example of what not to do, and being unsure about my moves going forward.
There were other physical adversities, too, like having three surgeries my freshman year of college. At the time, I was the hottest recruit to come in a long time, and I had everything stripped from me by injuries. That was very tough to navigate.
All of those things prepared me to face adversity on the big stage. I was only 24 when my heart stopped after a tackle. But when it happened, I was super blessed to have great people around me. The situation that happened there on the field was the least stressful it could have been. All I had to worry about was getting healthy again.
I’m thinking about longevity and legacy
In the three years since the cardiac arrest, I have become a better athlete. I’ve raised my level of awareness by a notch. One example: now I do blood tests to learn which foods trigger an inflammatory response. With that info, I can feed my body the best way possible.
Seeing me on the field that day has impacted my parents, too. This weekend, we’re doing a workout together. They’re prioritizing their health, too.
I’m focused on using this trial, this tribulation, to keep making a better version of myself. I always knew that my health and wellness impacted how I show up in the world, as a football player, as a businessman, and as a philanthropist. Health gives me the best competitive advantage to win and to pour into everyone I come into contact with.
I’m thinking about longevity these days, and also about how to align myself with things that contribute to my legacy. That’s what I loved about this Champions at Heart Campaign. You don’t have to be an NFL player or overcome a life-threatening event to be a champion — you just have to let your passion and resilience push you forward.
I aim to have the same drive my mom has
I try to continuously learn from the people around me. That’s like food to me. I’m always seeking wisdom, even from difficult times. One of my favorite sayings is “I don’t take losses, I take lessons.”
My most impactful lessons have come from my parents. I learned that family is first. My mom was so loyal to my dad for years when he was incarcerated. She worked from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. at a day care, then worked cleaning from 7 p.m. till midnight. I never heard her complain — she just kept putting her best foot forward, and made sure I had everything I needed.
Back in 2011, my mom took a picture of me helping her clean, talking about how she was starting me young. These days, our lives look different. I was just able to build my parents their dream home, from the ground up.
A lot has changed, but I know that if I can keep the same approach to life my mom has always had, I’ll be light-years ahead.
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