Bills S Damar Hamlin throws ceremonial pitch for Pittsburgh Pirates

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is a born-and-raised Yinzer, and his dedication to the city that helped shape his earliest years remains a priority for Hamlin as an adult.

Hamlin recently announced a multi-city tour through his Chasing M’s Foundation Charitable Fund that will take him on the road this summer in an effort to provide CPR training to benefit youth sports and community groups. The pursuit to provide CPR training and the distribution of life-saving AEDs was of course borne out of Hamlin’s own personal on-field battle with cardiac arrest from commotio cordis, and his miraculous recovery thanks to the key administration of CPR by Bills assistant athletic trainer Denny Kellington and the team’s ability to quickly respond to an emergency that necessitated the use of an AED.

Hamlin’s legend grew out of what became a monumental human-interest story of triumph against the great of all odds. Yet he’s remained humble, thankful, and focused on paying it forward at every step and each turn.

On Tuesday, June 27, Hamlin was invited to throw out the ceremonial first pitch ahead of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ home game. Hamlin said the opportunity to do so “means everything” to him, given his true love for the city and all things Pittsburgh. His love for the Pirates runs deep, with Hamlin repping their logo as a tattoo on his neck. Naturally, Hamlin could only express the honor as that of “a kid’s dream.”

Hamlin will continue his MLB ballpark tour next week as a guest of the New York Yankees, where he’ll throw the first pitch at Yankees Stadium to help the organization kick off its 14th edition of HOPE Week. Katherine Fitzgerald shared that Hamlin will toss the pitch “after players & coaches from the Yankees take part in CPR training in the outfield that day.”