The Buffalo Bills coaching staff received the Pat Tillman Award for Service at the 2023 ESPY Awards. The man who delivered was, of course, the one who saved his life on a terrifying January night.
Demar Hamlin narrated a tribute video to the staff, then received a standing ovation from the audience at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles as he welcomed the staff onto the stage. Once again, Hamlin and the coaches embraced emotionally.
Bills athletic trainer Nate Brisky proceeded to give a speech, which included one plea to Hamlin: “Thank you for being alive, brother.”
It’s only been six months since Hamlin went into cardiac arrest on the court during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals, a period of time that saw Hamlin recover enough to be a full participant in the Bills OTAs last month.
The Bills coaching staff has seen a number of honors and recognitions outside of the ESPYs, the most unusual of which was coach Denny Kellington, who performed a lifesaving CPS on Hamlin, and earned fifth place in NFL MVP voting from Suzy Kolber, who then worked for ESPN. Later, Killington said, “I’m no hero. But I’ll tell you what I was like that day: I was prepared.”
The incident also saw Hamlin visit the White House to advocate for defibrillators in schools as part of a larger campaign for more CPR training, to prevent the worst should a younger player suffer his situation.
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