Damar Hamlin announces 15 scholarships to help Pittsburgh students
From McKees Rocks to the NFL, Damar Hamlin promotes scholarships to give back
CHAMPION, BY THE WAY, COMING IN FIRST PLACE IN 2025. A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY FROM DAMAR HAMLIN, THE CURRENT BUFFALO BILLS SAFETY AND FORMER UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AND CENTRAL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYER, CHOSE A SPECIAL WAY TO GIVE BACK FUNDING FOR 15 SCHOLARSHIPS INSIDE CENTRAL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL IN OAKLAND. ALUM DAMAR HAMLIN ARRIVES TO ANNOUNCE 15 SCHOLARSHIPS. I CRIED IN THE CAR ON THE WAY HERE LIKE I’M EMOTIONAL. I’M EMOTIONAL, MAN. I CRIED ON THE CAR ON THE WAY HERE JUST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I COME FROM A SMALL PLACE. MCKEES ROCKS YOU KNOW, WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT I WOULD HAVE BEEN THE KID TO BE ABLE TO NOT ONLY JUST DO EVERYTHING THAT I’VE DONE, BUT HONESTLY BE ABLE TO DO IT AND THEN GIVE BACK TEN $1,000. SCHOLARSHIPS WILL HELP PITTSBURGH STUDENTS ATTEND PRIVATE SCHOOL OR COLLEGE. ANOTHER FIVE WILL HELP THEM ATTEND A BUILDING TRADE SCHOOL, SOMETHING THE MAYOR, ANOTHER CENTRAL CATHOLIC ALUM, APPLAUDS. NOT EVERY KID IS GOING TO GO TO COLLEGE, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK FOR US NOW, IT’S ABOUT JOBS AND IT’S ABOUT CREATING GENERATIONAL WEALTH. AND I THINK FOR DEMAR COMING BACK TO DO THIS SHOWS THAT HE CARES ABOUT THE NEXT GENERATION AND HOW HE CAN PUT THEM ON A GREAT PATH TO SUCCEED. HAMLIN’S CHASING EMS FOUNDATION DONATES LIFE SAVING AIDS AND HOSTS CPR TRAINING. NOW. STUDENTS IN PITTSBURGH CAN APPLY ON HIS WEBSITE FOR MONEY TO HELP WITH THEIR EDUCATION. OUR ALUM ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE PROGRAM AND EVERYTHING THAT WE DO HERE AT CENTRAL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL AND WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY YOUNG MAN FROM THE AREA THAT WANTS TO ATTEND CAN ATTEND THIS PLACE. SOMEONE BELIEVED IN ME. SO I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO BELIEVE IN OTHERS. SO. MAYBE THERE’S MAYBE THERE’S A YOUNG MAN IN HERE WHO’S GOING TO DO THE SAME THING SOMEDAY. YES, INDEED. WATCHING YOU. AND THAT’S WHAT WE DO IT FOR. AS DAMAR HAMLIN MEETS CURRENT CENTRAL CATHOLIC STUDENTS, THAT MESSAGE IS ALREADY GETTING THROUGH, INCLUDING TO ASPIRING NFL STARS. IT GIVES ME HOPE FOR THE FUTURE THAT IF I MAKE IT TO WHERE HE’S AT, I CAN ALSO DO THE SAME EXACT THING AS HIM. SO JUST THINKING AND REFLECTING ABOUT THAT, AND I WANT TO BE IN THE SAME EXACT POSITION AS HIM AND HELP THE YOUNGER GENERATION. THERE YOU GO. THE APPLICATION FOR THE SCHOLARSHIPS IS ON DAMAR HAML
Damar Hamlin announces 15 scholarships to help Pittsburgh students
From McKees Rocks to the NFL, Damar Hamlin promotes scholarships to give back
Updated: 6:16 PM EDT Mar 23, 2026
Damar Hamlin made a special appearance Monday at his alma mater in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood, where he announced 15 new scholarship opportunities.The current Buffalo Bills safety played football for Central Catholic High School before moving on to the University of Pittsburgh and the NFL.”I’m emotional. I cried in the car on the way here,” Hamlin told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 anchor Shannon Perrine. “I come from a small place in McKees Rocks. Who would have thought that I would have been the kid to be able to not only just do everything that I’ve done, but honestly be able to do it and then give back? It’s a full-circle-in-life moment.”Ten of the $1,000 scholarships are available to Pittsburgh students wishing to attend private school or college. Five more scholarships are earmarked for students attending a building trade school.The Pittsburgh Heroes Scholarship Application is available on the Chasing M’s Foundation website.In 2023, Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest on the field during a game. Medics performed CPR. Hamlin made a full recovery and returned to football.Looking for more news in your area | Subscribe to the WTAE YouTube Channel
PITTSBURGH —
Damar Hamlin made a special appearance Monday at his alma mater in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood, where he announced 15 new scholarship opportunities.
The current Buffalo Bills safety played football for Central Catholic High School before moving on to the University of Pittsburgh and the NFL.
“I’m emotional. I cried in the car on the way here,” Hamlin told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 anchor Shannon Perrine. “I come from a small place in McKees Rocks. Who would have thought that I would have been the kid to be able to not only just do everything that I’ve done, but honestly be able to do it and then give back? It’s a full-circle-in-life moment.”
Ten of the $1,000 scholarships are available to Pittsburgh students wishing to attend private school or college. Five more scholarships are earmarked for students attending a building trade school.
The Pittsburgh Heroes Scholarship Application is available on the Chasing M’s Foundation website.
In 2023, Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest on the field during a game. Medics performed CPR. Hamlin made a full recovery and returned to football.
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