Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin remains on the road to recovery after his on-field cardiac arrest, but he's already showing his gratitude for a world that rallied around him in the aftermath of a horrifying night.
In his first public address in the four weeks since his life-threatening collapse on "Monday Night Football," Hamlin emotionally thanked every person who helped and supported him.
That group included the Bills training and medical staff, the doctors at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and Buffalo General Medical Center, his parents, his little brother, his family and friends, the Bills fanbase, the Bills organization, the city of Cincinnati, the Cincinnati Bengals, the NFL community, the children who sent him letters and gifts and all the donors to his GoFundMe.
"I can't tell you how appreciative I am of all the love, all the support and everything that's been coming in my way," Hamlin said. "What happened to me on "Monday Night Football" I feel is a direct example of god using me as a vessel to share my passion and my love directly from my heart with the entire world."
The video, posted to the Bills' social media, is nearly six minutes long.
Hamlin's GoFundMe, set up two years ago to support a toy drive at his mother's daycare center, was flooded with donations from many of the NFL's teams and biggest names in the immediate aftermath of his collapse. The fundraiser, set up with an initial goal of $2,500, sits at over $9 million as of Saturday.
Toward the end of the video, Hamlin indicated he plans to use the money to help children all over the U.S.
"That was something that was started way before I made it to the NFL," Hamlin said. "Something that was started small just to be able to affect my small community back at home at McKees Rocks. I just wanted to be able to play my role and do my part in my community as I ventured off to chase my dreams in the NFL.
"You guys have took that and blown it away. I'm so excited for the things I have planned in the future for these kids all across the country now."