Zach Bryan is a country music star who loves football. And he said he’s heartbroken over what’s happened with Damar Hamlin, the Buffalo safety fighting for his life.
Like so many NFL fans, Bryan is praying for Damar Hamlin, who collapsed in the first quarter of the Bills’ Monday Night Football game against Cincinnati.
The country star tweeted: “As a country hopefully all our thoughts and prayers are with Damar Hamlin and his family. I can’t even imagine. And if there’s anyway at all to help I pray he feels like he has a country behind him.”
Zach Bryan’s Message Was One of Thousands in Support of Damar Hamlin
Social media is filled with messages for Hamlin, who is in his first year as a starter for the Bills. Most folks outside of Buffalo probably didn’t know Hamlin well. The Bills are star-studded, which is why they’re one of the best teams in the NFL. He became a starter following an injury back in September.
Hamlin’s 63rd tackle of the season was the near-fatal one. But it looked like any other tackle. Higgins lowered his shoulder to gain more yards. Hamlin, as the safety, brought Higgins to the turf. Hamlin jumped up, then fell back down. His stunned teammates immediately called for help. Medical personnel used CPR to revive him. They also shocked his heart back into rhythm with an automated external defibrillator.
An ambulance drove onto the field to pick up Hamlin. He was transported to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. Hamlin’s uncle said Damar crashed again. But doctors revived him, then placed him on a respirator. By early Tuesday, the Buffalo Bills issued a statement saying that Hamlin had suffered cardiac arrest. He remains in critical condition.
As Zach Bryan tweeted, he wants Damar Hamlin to know he has the country behind him. Bengals fans started gathering outside the hospital within minutes of Hamlin’s arrival. There are prayer vigils going on across Buffalo.
A fan discovered a GoFundMe account for Hamlin’s Chasing M’s Foundation. He’d just finished his third annual Christmas toy drive to help out the kids in his Pittsburgh neighborhood. The fund set a goal for $2,500. Within 24 hours, the account swelled to almost $6 million. Hamlin’s last Instagram post was a video of him playing with the kids.
If Zach Bryan read his replies, he could see how fans responded to his tweet.
One wrote: “As a huge fan of yours and the Buffalo Bills, thank you so much for your kind words. They mean so much.”
Another Buffalo fan replied: “Bills Mafia thanks you! Our city has gone through so much in the last nine months. But we’re as tough as they come.” And she used the hashtag #HamlinStrong.