Damar Hamlin’s foundation begins accepting applications for Cincinnati scholarships

Applications to Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin’s Cincinnati Heroes Scholarship are now open, with 10 applicants being selected to receive $1,000 a year.

The scholarships are being provided through Hamlin’s charity, Chasing M’s Foundation, and are named after 10 health workers who saved his life after he suffered a cardiac arrest in early 2023. Those who can apply are students attending private high schools in the Greater Cincinnati area, trade schools, or Cincinnati-area universities, according to a press release.

“The opportunity I have to give back and inspire others through my charity is an incredible blessing,” Hamlin said in the press release. “Whether kids need help with books, tuition or housing, my focus is on helping them explore what comes next, whether that means college or trade school. It is my hope that this scholarship will honor the ten medical professionals who helped save my life a year ago, while supporting kids on their own journey.”

FILE – Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin (3) warms up before an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, in Orchard Park, N.Y. Hamlin is a finalist for The Associated Press 2023 Comeback Player of the Year. (AP Photo/Matt Durisko, File)

The names of the scholarships include Dr. B. Woods Curry, Dr. Betty Tsuei, Dr. Saad Ahmad, Dr. Jason McMullan, Registered Nurse Claire Deglow, Registered Nurse Alyssa Zimmerman, Registered Nurse Val Lake, EMT-Paramedic Rob Hursong, Registered Respiratory Therapist John Bush, and Registered Respiratory Therapist Gary Richardson.

These $1,000 scholarships can be used by recipients to pay their tuition, housing, or by purchasing books. Recipients can also reapply to continue receiving money from these scholarships.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

On Jan. 2, 2023, Hamlin was hospitalized in critical condition after collapsing on the field due to a cardiac arrest during his team’s game versus the Cincinnati Bengals. He was released from the hospital on Jan. 11, and returned to the football field later that year in August.

Hamlin returned to Paycor Stadium, the stadium where he suffered his near-fatal injury, in November last year. While the Bills lost the game with a score of 24-18, he said his time on the field after the game meant “everything” to him.