UPDATE: Damar Hamlin’s toy drive charity gets over $8.5 million

Colleen Farrell News10NBC

BUFFALO, N.Y. – As Bills’ safety Damar Hamlin recovers from going into cardiac arrest during a Monday night game at the Bengals, Bills fans and others continue to donate to a charity that Hamlin created.

That charity, the Chasing M’s Foundation Community Toy Drive, has raised over $8.5 million as of Monday morning. More than 240,000 people and organizations have donated to the foundation that supports toy drives, back-to-school drives, and kids camps. You can donate here.

Among the donors include Robert Kraft and The New England Patriots, Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady, Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson and recording artist Ciara Wilson, and LA Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.

After Hamlin’s medical emergency, people in Buffalo and beyond wondered what they could do to help. The answer came from Hamlin himself – through an old tweet from 2021 that surfaced again Monday night.

After Hamlin was rushed to the hospital Monday, fans started donating to his charity in droves. Word spread quickly on social media – and within hours, tens of thousands been raised.

That the Bills Mafia has stepped up is likely not a surprise to Hamlin, who, on Nov. 20 paid credit to the Buffalo fan base.

More about Damar’s recovery: