Prayers, thoughts, donations to Damar Hamlin's foundation pour in after his collapse

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin’s presence at Central Catholic and Pitt was so impactful that when he collapsed after making a tackle Monday night, thoughts and prayers poured into social media from several sources — people who knew Hamlin and those who knew him only as a football player.

Almost immediately after Hamlin was transported by ambulance to University of Cincinnati Medical Center, people began donating to Hamlin’s The Chasing M’s Foundation that he created in 2020 to raise funds toward the purchase of toys for children in need.

The drive was run through GoFundMe, with a goal of raising $2,500 to “positively impact children who have been hardest hit by the pandemic.” The fund drive had raised less than $10,000 before Monday night, but was quickly up to more than $3 million, including multiple donations of $5,000.

“I feel like it’s a duty of mine,” Hamlin told the Tribune-Review in 2021. “I watched my dad do it in many different ways growing up and I watched how everyone viewed him. I always wanted to bring my people that same feeling. It inspired me growing up. This is the main reason why I wanted to make it to the NFL, to take care of my people.”

This is the link to Damar Hamlin's toy drive fundraiser.

I’ll start with $100 right now.

Let’s blow it up. https://t.co/5TNuhRkv36

— B.W. Carlin (@BaileyCarlin) January 3, 2023

@Realrclark25 is amazing https://t.co/4YHYENAUpX

— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) January 3, 2023

The thoughts and prayers of all of Bills Mafia are supporting you, Damar. ???? pic.twitter.com/lDWNAOEPX4

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 3, 2023

????????????????????????@HamlinIsland ????????????????????????

— Pat Narduzzi (@CoachDuzzPittFB) January 3, 2023

Praying, praying hard for you @HamlinIsland and your family. We all love you. #H2P https://t.co/h4OKeNJ7z5

— Heather Lyke (@Pitt_LykeAD) January 3, 2023

We join the entire city of Pittsburgh in sending our thoughts and prayers to Damar Hamlin, his family and the Bills organization.

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) January 3, 2023

Absolutely speechless.. please pull through Damar!

— TJ Watt (@_TJWatt) January 3, 2023

Praying hard.. please be okay man. ????????????????????????

— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) January 3, 2023

The game is not important.

Damar Hamlin’s life is important.

Please be ok. Please.

????????

— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) January 3, 2023

Central Catholic High School is praying for the well being and swift recovery of Damar Hamlin, ‘16 (@BuffaloBills ). May the Lord be with him and his family during this most difficult time.

Hamlin collapsed during the Monday Night Football game against the @Bengals on 1-02-23. pic.twitter.com/xIT6XS8k4h

— Central Catholic (@centralvikings) January 3, 2023

James Franklin was asked about Damar Hamlin: "Terry Smith and myself recruited him, got to know his whole family, unbelievable family and obviously we're sending our thoughts and prayers to him and the family and hoping and praying that everything is okay."

— Audrey Snyder (@audsnyder4) January 3, 2023

Love you 3 prayers ????????????????❤️ stay strong got your back always

— Tyler Boyd (@boutdat_23) January 3, 2023

More on Damar Hamlin:

• Pittsburgh native Damar Hamlin in critical condition after cardiac arrest during game
• Troy Vincent denies NFL initially gave Bills-Bengals 5-minute warmup window after Damar Hamlin's injury
• From 2021: Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, former Pitt player, hosts toy drive in McKees Rocks