Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin tearfully thanked the medical team that helped save his life in front of thousands at this year’s ESPY Awards.

The heart-warming moment did not leave a dry eye among the athletes who came to Los Angeles, California to celebrate the past year in sports. 

A tearful Hamlin presented the “Pat Tillman Service Award” to the team’s training staff whose efforts saved his life after he went into cardiac arrest during a televised Monday Night Football game in January.

As CBN News has reported, Hamiln died following a collision with Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins in the first quarter. 

The Bills’ safety briefly got up and adjusted his face mask before falling backward.

He had to be resuscitated on the field. 

The tragic incident kicked off days of concentrated prayer that was public for the world to see, and those prayers were answered as he has now made a full recovery.

Hamlin thanked the first responders during the awards ceremony Wednesday.

“I didn’t wake up that morning in January thinking that I would need someone to save my life that day, and I doubt that the staff thought that they had to do what they did either,” he shared.

“What I’ve taken away from what happened to me six and a half months ago, is that any of us at any given time are capable of doing something that’s incredible, in saving a life and living a life in service to others,” Hamlin continued.

“It’s a blessing. It’s a responsibility. And it’s the very reason why you’re hearing my voice right now. Anyone could be a hero. These are mine,” he concluded.

Then Hamlin broke down in tears as he called the Buffalo Bills training staff to the stage. 

Damar Hamlin was brought to tears when presenting the Pat Tillman Award for Service to the training staff of the Buffalo Bills pic.twitter.com/IThNKmREyC

— ESPN (@espn) July 13, 2023

The staff was greeted by a standing ovation. They huddled around Hamlin on stage, hugging him and patting his back. With his back to the audience, Hamlin bent his head and appeared to break down.

The Bills’ head athletic trainer humbly accepted the award, giving the glory to God.

 “By the grace of God and divine intervention, we had the best outcome we could have prayed for or imagined,” said Nate Breske. 
 
“It was a massive army of specialists who came together on and off the field to do their jobs at night. That team includes the athletic trainers and medical staffs, equipment, managers, player, engagement, personnel, mental health clinicians, chaplains, security on-field first responders, paramedics, and the entire medical staff at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center,” he added.

Hamlin called the medical staff his heroes saying they’re bonded for life.

***Please sign up for CBN Newsletters and download the CBN News app to ensure you keep receiving the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective.***

The Pat Tillman Award for Service is a yearly award given to individuals who serve others in the legacy of Tillman, a former NFL player who died in Afghanistan after enlisting following the September 11, 2001 attacks.

“These professionals didn’t waste a moment before jumping into action for one of the most frightening scenarios they could have prepared for — on the world’s stage no less — and ultimately saving Damar Hamlin’s life through their quick and decisive teamwork,” said Marie Tillman Shenton, board chair and co-founder of the Pat Tillman Foundation. 

“The group’s commitment to service mirrors Pat’s passion and dedication to serving others and our mission here at the foundation,” she added.

Hamlin also thanked the medical staff during the NFL Honors Award ceremony in February. 

In April, he was cleared to return to the field and he has plans to play this fall.

“The wow moment is every day just to be able to wake up and take deep breaths and live a peaceful life to have a family, to have people around me that love me and that care about me and for those people to still have me in their lives, they almost lost me. I died on national TV in front of the whole world,” Hamlin said at the time. “The biggest blessing of it all is for me to still have my people and my people to still have me.”