Damar Hamlin continues to give back.
The Buffalo Bills safety and McKees Rocks native is awarding 30 scholarships to students in Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Cincinnati as his way of honoring the medical team that helped save his life when he went into cardiac arrest during an NFL game in 2023.
The Pittsburgh Heroes Scholarship, offered by Hamlin’s Chasing M’s Foundation, was expanded to include Pittsburgh this year. Six $1,000 scholarships were awarded to current high school students or recent graduates from the area who plan to enroll in building trades or vocational programs in college.
The scholarship winners are:
• Lucas Altier, Norwin
• Julius Best, Chartiers Valley
• Ianna Dull, Community College of Allegheny County
• Cameron Glenn, Penn Hills
• Ryleigh Tardy, Winchester Thurston
• Ava Wolkiewicz, A.W. Beattie Career Center
In addition, three Central Catholic students received $1,000 scholarships. They are: freshmen Hudson Feeney and Jacob Grzyb and senior Jake Murphy.
“When I was in high school, my family received scholarship funds from a private donor to support my education, and it made a difference for us,” Hamlin, a Central Catholic and Pitt graduate, said in a statement. “For me personally, I felt the support of others who believed in me. I’m honored to be in a position now where I can extend that blessing to others, and I’m excited to see these kids continue their education and chase their dreams.”
This is the third year overall for the scholarships, which can he used for tuition or other expenses related to academics.