Damar Hamlin presents service award to Bills training staff at ESPY’s

LOS ANGELES (WHEC) – Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin was on hand at the 2023 ESPSY’s to present the Buffalo Bills training staff with the Pat Tillman Award For Service.

The staff’s immediate response on the field back in January’s game against the Bengals was critical in saving Hamlin’s life following him suffering cardiac arrest. CPR was administered for more than nine minutes straight before they were able to revive the 25 year old.

“We’re not used to having the spotlight on us,” Bills head athletic trainer Nate Bresky said while accepting the award on behalf of the staff. “We were just doing our job but the idea of service is definitely something that is ingrained in our profession and that we take great pride in.”

During a preceding video presentation, Hamlin said, “The Bills training staff kept me alive,” and that “anyone can be the hero. These are mine.” 

The biggest message was urging people to go through CPR training done. “This story is about a lot of things,” Bresky added. “But to us, it’s about raising awareness of cardiac events which happen every day in so many different places.”

Hamlin was medically cleared to fully resume football activities back in mid April. He partook in individual drills at both OTAs and mandatory minicamps. Next, he and the Bills return to Rochester for training in exactly two weeks.