Former teammate of Damar Hamlin shares message of hope for his friend
The show of support continues to grow for Buffalo Bills' safety and Pittsburgh-native Damar Hamlin.
The show of support continues to grow for Buffalo Bills' safety and Pittsburgh-native Damar Hamlin.
The show of support continues to grow for Buffalo Bills' safety and Pittsburgh-native Damar Hamlin.
The show of support continues to grow for Buffalo Bills' safety and Pittsburgh native Damar Hamlin.
Acrisure Stadium and PPG Paints Arena traded in the black and gold for Buffalo's red and blue.
The young athlete from McKees Rocks is still in critical condition, being treated at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
His medical team is reporting improvement, but he is still being monitored in the intensive care unit.
A friend of Hamlin’s since the glory days of high school. David Adams said he played football for Central Catholic High School alongside Damar Hamlin for three seasons.
“To win the state championship with all your best friends, it’s the memory of a lifetime,” Adams said.
Adams, who went on to play for Notre Dame, rooted for Damar Hamlin on the Pitt Panthers and eventually the Buffalo Bills.
“I’m someone who saw firsthand how much work he put in to get to that point in his life, and I knew all the sacrifices, and the injuries, and all the bad days he had, and to see all of that hard work pay off. That brought tears to my eyes,” Adams said.
After seeing his friend rushed off the field during Monday night’s game, Adams is rooting for him now more than ever.
“I want people to understand that their concern should be for him as a person. Him playing football is not important right now. Him getting healthy and getting his life back is most important. He’s a great son. He’s a great brother. He’s a great friend, and we all love him,” Adams said.
As Adams continues to pray for Hamlin he's reminded of another friend and teammate from his and damar’s championship team.
“Our good friend Jamain Stephens, 'Juice.' He, unfortunately, passed away in 2020 from COVID,” Adams said. “I thought to myself, we cannot lose another guy from that team.”
Adams said he’s been in contact with Hamlin’s father, staying updated on his condition, and he will be visiting him at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center later this week.
