Damar Hamlin hosts annual toy drive in McKees Rocks
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin stopped by his hometown of McKees Rocks on Tuesday night to host a toy drive for local kids.
It's the fourth annual drive for his Chasing M's Foundation and last night's event was hosted at the Sto-Rox Junior/Senior High Schoool.
Hamlin was dressed up as Santa while taking pictures and giving out toys to children.
He says he never imagined the toy distribution would grow so quickly and help so many kids.
"That's something I wanted my entire life as a kid," Hamlin said. "I wanted to be able to have that role model figure that was from where I was and did what I wanted to do -- to be able to give back to the community. I live my whole life for a moment like this. Moments like these make me feel like my life's complete."
In January, fans donated millions to a GoFundMe for Hamlin's toy drive after he went into cardiac arrest and collapsed on the field in Cincinnati during a Monday Night Football game.
Hamlin returned to the field in October, less than a year after his heart stopped and he saw his first defensive game action of the season last month, making a tackle against the Denver Broncos in Buffalo.
He has since used the foundation to host football camps, provide free CPR training, donate defibrillators to youth sports organizations, and create a scholarship in honor of the University of Cincinnati Medical Center staff who saved his life.
Toys on Tuesday night were given out on a first-come, first-served basis.