Damar HamlinΒ shared a videoΒ Saturday, thanking everyone who has supported him throughout his recovery process.
The post came less than a month after theΒ Buffalo BillsΒ safety suffered cardiac arrest during a matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals. The video also marked Hamlinβs first time speaking on camera since the in-game collapse.Β
βI canβt tell you howΒ appreciative I am of all the love, allΒ the support, and everything thatβs just been comingΒ my way,β he said in the nearly six-minute video. βWhat happened to me on Monday Night FootballΒ I feel is aΒ direct example of God using me as aΒ vessel to share my passion and my love directly from my heart with the entire world, and Iβm now able to give it back to kids and communities all across the world, who need it the most. And thatβs always been my dream.β
The video came amid online conspiracy theories that Hamlin had died after he collapsed in early January. The rumors surged after the 24-year-old attended the Billsβ Jan.Β 22 playoff game, donning a hood over his head and a partial face mask. Some were convinced that the man in the videos wasnβt Hamlin, but ratherΒ βcloneβ or βbody-doubleβ intended to provide cover for the NFL.
Hamlin poked fun at the bizarre theories in a Jan. 23 tweet that read: βclone.β
So why did he wait so long to speak publicly? Because he simply needed time.
βIt was a lot to process within my own selfβmentally, physically, even spiritually. Itβs just been a lot to process ...β he explained. βWhile Iβm so thankful to everybody, I know that it isnβt enough just to be thankful. This is just the beginning of the impact that I wanted to have on the world, and with Godβs guidance I will continue to do wonderful and great things.β
He continued: βI couldnβt do this without any of the support and the love, and I canβt wait to continue to take yβall on this journey with me.β
You can check out the full video below.
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