We’ve all experienced moments in our lives that are burned into our memories, and we’ll always remember exactly where we were when we witnessed it or heard the news.
The Twin Towers. John Lennon’s death. The Kennedy Assassination.
On Jan. 2 of this year, millions of Americans watched as Buffalo Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin made a tackle in an NFL game vs. the Cincinnati Bengals, stood up, then collapsed on the field.
My wife and I were among those who witnessed it, watching from our living room.
Damar lay motionless on the field as trainers and emergency personnel rushed to his side. I was struck by the reaction of the players, many of whom turned away and appeared to be in grief or in prayer.
Team and security personnel surrounded Damar and blocked any views by intruding network cameras or even his own teammates. Players on both teams gathered in a big prayer circle.
We feared the worst as the minutes passed. My wife speculated that he already could be dead, even though we didn’t know what had happened. Here’s a recap from the New York Times written a few days later.
Damar Hamlin had had a massive heart attack, and his heart stopped. The emergency personnel and training staff used defibrillators and brought him back to life, more than once, apparently. After many minutes, he was loaded into an ambulance and taken to a Cincinnati hospital.
We were as anxious as anyone else and silently praying for his life. We weren’t optimistic.
But you probably know the rest of the story. Damar escaped more near misses with death on the way to — and in — the hospital. Still, he grew stronger by the day and was released nine days later.
He continued to improve, and under doctor’s supervision began working out again and was eventually cleared to rejoin the team this summer.
Damar is again on the Bills roster and played his first minutes of action this past weekend.
Then he flew to Oklahoma City on Tuesday to share his story with an audience of about 1,000 Oklahomans at the annual Champions of Health Awards Presentations at the OKC Convention Center.
I had the good fortune to be in that OKC audience as an employee of Care Providers Oklahoma, one of 11 health care related organizations that comprise the Champions of Health Coalition. All are working to improve health outcomes for Oklahomans, and the Champions of Health Awards recognize organizations or individuals that have devised innovative programs that could be replicated in other communities.
Anyway, the highlight of the night was Damar Hamlin’s presence and the perspective he shared in a “fireside chat” with News9 TV personality Robin Marsh. Check out the video that my CPO colleague Tanecia Davis shot of Damar speaking during the chat.
Robin introduced Damar and told him that millions of Americans had prayed for him that night from their living rooms, just as his teammates did on the field.
Soft spoken, Damar didn’t go into details of the incident, but instead focused on his mission since. Today, he’s working to ensure that the technology that saved his life is available by every sports team nationwide and that people are trained in CPR.
I was struck by one comment in particular by Damar about this mission.
“It’s kind of like a calling, & we don’t get to choose our calling,” he told us.
Amen.
Robin asked Damar about his youth and how he progressed from high school to college to the NFL. He shared the story of his personal journey, and something else stood out.
“I found a mentor,” he said. “I found someone who was older than me and successful and worked with them.”
Amen again.
I’m a big believer in cultivating a mentor and then following their example and advice. Although I never had a formal mentor, I’ve had some folks in my life who provided sage advice along the way.
Like millions of my fellow Americans, I’m so glad that Damar Hamlin survived this near death experience. Survived and emerged with his new mission, his calling.
And we don’t get to choose our calling.
BONUS! Read my blog post over at Care Providers Oklahoma website that provides more details about the Champions of Health Awards Presentations and winners.
Jim Stafford's BlogOKC 