5 Reasons Why Damar Hamlin has Touched the World

Americans are intuitive. For all the claims of being non-judgmental, we secretly judge people every day. Better said, we assess a person's potential for good or evil. Whether in conversation or looking at a picture, we gather a sense of whether it makes sense to trust someone. Enter Damar Hamlin.

Unless you've been in the Himalayas on a WI-FI-less mountain for the last five days, the medical emergency that played out on live television at 8:55pm EST during Monday evening's game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Buffalo Bills has reached you. If it has reached you, it has touched you. The question is; why?

Why has the medical emergency of a young, Black, braided-haired, football player from McKees Rocks, PA caused such an emotional, charitable, and even philosophical reset for millions of Americans? Story.

At the highest level of narrative resides a mirror; yes, a mirror. At the highest level, you won't find eloquence, craft, writing, speaker training, or any other elements useful in telling a story. Instead, you will find a mirror. In it, you will see yourself, your best self.

Just like millions of Americans, this young man was not a star. He was not the team's first choice. He didn't get picked in the first round, and he was only playing this past weekend because the player in front of him got hurt. Damar Hamlin was an underdog with big dreams, just like you.

Hamlin signed a contract where he was only guaranteed $160k in a league where multi-millionaires practice next to him each day. Their financial future is secure, but his is not. Yet, you can sense a palatable optimism in his aura, a flickering hopefulness in the young man we have never met. Here are the five reasons millions of prayers invaded heaven on behalf of the underdog.

His heart was planted before his name was known

In 2020, Hamlin, whose mother runs a daycare for poor children, decided to start a GoFundMe to purchase toys for the children. He was a college student at the time.

His request for donations was unbelievably modest

The fact that he only asked for $2,500 speaks volumes. It took Hamlin, two years just to raise this modest amount. As of this writing, the fund has crossed $5 million in donations.

He sought to benefit others

While he would like to be financially successful like anyone else, his public ask was to help the less fortunate even though he was less fortunate himself

There is a tangible, intangible sense of good-will

This is difficult to explain, but you know exactly what I mean. In viewing the images of this young man, there is something RIGHT about him. In times of crisis, people trust their gut.

He will never play again

While no one has said it, everyone knows it. Hamlin will never be allowed to play the game he loves again.

That last point hurts. I don't know who is reading this, but I can guarantee one thing, you are human. You've taken some hits in life. You've lost, you've won. You've been told you weren't good enough, talented enough, or educated enough. You may be wealthy or you may be on welfare, going to school at night, hoping that one day you will experience a better day. Somehow, as Hamlin lay on the field helpless, not breathing and being given CPR, somehow we saw ourselves. And in this mirror, we whispered a little prayer that if, God forbid, we ever find ourselves in such a tragic situation, some stranger, someone will have enough heart to reach out and lend a hand. His story honors our own.

Get better, young man. May God send angels of healing mercy to touch you even now.