31 March 2023 , 13:48
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Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin and his family met with Joe Biden at the White House, and the President was honoured to meet with the inspirational NFL star.
The sporting world was rocked last season as Hamlin collapsed during a match between the Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals, and suffered a cardiac arrest. The game was soon abandoned due to the nature of the incident, and thankfully Hamlin is on the road to recovery after being successful resuscitated.
Along with making strides to one day return to the NFL, Hamlin has been raising awareness and ensuring that more automated external defibrillators are available at necessary sites. Biden has hailed Hamlin for his work, and met with the NFL star this week.
It's been a busy week for Hamlin, as he met with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick to help increase the availability of AED's and training in an attempt to prevent more cardiac related deaths. The NFL have also launched Smart Heart Sports Coalition, with the aim being to pass legislation for implementing policies that will prevent fatal outcomes from cardiac arrests among high school athletes.
The sporting world have fallen in love with Hamlin following the high-profile incident, and he'= has used his platform to create awareness for others in the future. The Bills star has since met with President Biden, who was extremely impressed with the 25-year-old.
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"Damar Hamlin's courage, resilience, and spirit inspired the American people," Biden wrote in a tweet with a picture of their meeting. "And what's more: he turned recovery into action -- and our country is better for it. It was my honour to have him and his family here today."
Hamlin also posted a tweet of his own, saying: "It was a pleasure and an honour meeting you today. I know your time is precious and I wouldn't waste a second of it! Our conversations were valuable.. #UncleJoe."
The Bills star is still targeting a return to the NFL in the future, and will forever be "overwhelmed" by the support he's received from fans. After remaining in hospital for many days back in January, Hamlin reached out to his fanbase to thank them for their kind words.
"The Love has been overwhelming, but I’m thankful for every single person that prayed for me and reached out," Hamlin said in an emotional message to his fans. "We brung the world back together behind this. If you know me you know this only gone make me stronger. On a long road keep praying for me!"