AP Photo/Joshua Bessex
Pittsburgh Steelers players on Friday delivered toys, books and teaching supplies to Kelly & Nina’s Daycare Center in McKees Rocks, Pa. to aid in the safety of Buffalo Bills, Damar Hamlin.
Relations with the Steelers Community @SteelersCR
#Steelers-Players showed their love & support for @BuffaloBills Safety & Damar Hamlin of Pittsburgh by providing toys, books & teacher supplies for Kelly & Nina’s Daycare, the place where Hamlin hosts his annual toy drive, since he at @Pitt_FB
was 📝: https://t.co/iAfYZS60FU pic.twitter.com .com/fYs2BJ8sK7
Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest on the field after being hit during his team’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday. According to the Bills’ latest update, Hamlin continues to make good progress:
The sophomore pro grew up in McKees Rocks, which is part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. He went to school at the University of Pittsburgh before the Bills selected him in 2021 with a sixth-round draft pick.
Hamlin’s Chasing M’s Foundation started a toy drive that has come to an end $8.2 million in donations beginning Saturday at 3 p.m. ET. The foundation, whose stated goal was to provide toys to children at the daycare where his mother works, raised just over $2,900 before Monday.
This week, however, a tide of love and support for Hamlin and his foundation has risen, and many members of the NFL community are getting involved.
His hometown Steelers is no exception.
“It’s just a way of giving back,” Steelers cornerback Levi Wallace (and Hamlin’s ex-Bills teammate) told steelers.com’s Teresa Varley.
“Just to be able to give back to the kids he works with and to his community that he loves so much. We’re only doing it to honor him and to show our love for him that we support him here in Pittsburgh.
“Just hearing the great news that he’s doing better just comes from a grateful place I think. I’ve seen how hard he works on and off the field and that’s why I’m here in Pittsburgh to do whatever I could do.”
Safety Terrell Edmunds, defenseman Tre Norwood and cornerback Cameron Sutton also joined the Steelers’ effort on Friday.