Bills safety Damar Hamlin hosted his third annual back-to-school event with his Chasing M's Foundation at the historic Johnny B. Wiley Amateur Athletic Sports Pavilion Monday afternoon. The event drew more than 1,300 attendees and provided free school supplies, haircuts, food, football training and life-saving CPR instruction.
Over 1,000 backpacks filled with school supplies were distributed to students as families gathered for a day of fun, community support and health education.
"To be able to provide that fresh feeling of a haircut, school supplies... kids are ready and well-equipped with all the resources that they need to be successful," Hamlin said. "I hope they have an amazing school year."
Hamlin has used his recovery from cardiac arrest as a platform to raise awareness about CPR and the importance of AEDs. This year, 250 attendees received hands-only CPR training, a central feature of the event made possible through a partnership with the American Heart Association.
"You grow through what you go through," Hamlin said. "To be out here and be able to stop the leading cause of death in youth sports, which is sudden cardiac arrest, something that I experienced, it means a lot to me, and it gives my life purpose even further than my passion, which is football."
Knowing the importance of the skill Hamlin urged everyone to go get trained in CPR.
"You never know when you're going to need that as a superpower to save somebody you love," Hamlin added.
In a surprise finale, Hamlin presented AEDs to the Johnny B. Wiley Center and Buffalo's Police Athletic League (PAL).
The event was supported by a wide network of community partners, including the Buffalo Bills Foundation, American Heart Association, and Buffalo PAL. Families enjoyed hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, bouncy houses, games, and a youth football clinic. Local barbers and braiders provided free haircuts and styles for kids preparing to return to school.
Buffalo Mayor Christopher Scanlon praised the initiative for going beyond school preparation.
"But more importantly, peace of mind and the knowledge that they're ready to start the school year, ready to learn, and ready to hit the ground running," Scanlon said. "Young people's families are going to receive life-saving skills here today, and that's going to make our community stronger as a whole."
Damar Hamlin and Chasing M's Foundation hosted their annual backpack event at Johnnie B Wiley Stadium. This included backpacks, games, flag football clinic, CPR Training, and haircuts for all children in attendance.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Damar Hamlin (3). Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Chasing M's Back to School, August 26, 2025 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
Nekia Kemp, executive director of Buffalo PAL, highlighted the event's deeper meaning.
"What Damar and the Chasing M's organization has done goes far beyond school supplies," she said. "Today, it's about showing our young people that our community supports them."
Jennifer Pratt from the American Heart Association echoed the importance of Hamlin's message.
"We are so grateful to Damar for using his powerful platform to make sure that everyone everywhere knows CPR and has access to an AED," Pratt said. "His leadership is literally inspiring people across the country and around the globe."
Giving back and seeing how this event has been helpful to the community the past three years is what makes Hamlin want to continue it year after year.
"Man, this is unbelievable to see how many people just came out for the support. We are just trying to show that we are here for this community," shared Hamlin.
