As incredible and uplifting as Damar Hamlin’s story has been, he has added a statistical record as well.
The Buffalo Bills safety who went into cardiac arrest on the field in a 2023 game is now officially the world record holder.
During the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, Hamlin, the NFL, the American Heart Association and Dr. Mike Varshavski combined their efforts to take life-saving training to historic measures and set a Guinness World Record for “the most people to complete CPR training in one hour.”
Hamlin and his very large group of Good Samaritans helped 1,293 people complete CPR training in a 60-minute window on April 24 — which was Day 2 of the draft — at Acrisure Stadium.
“As my experience with cardiac arrest has shown, CPR really does save lives,” Hamlin said on the Bills team website. “Seeing my hometown come together to set this record and learn this skill is incredibly meaningful, and I’m proud to see the NFL, the American Heart Association and our community come together to build a life-saving legacy.”
Hamlin, 28, is entering his sixth NFL season, all with the Bills. The 2021 NFL Draft sixth-round pick from Pittsburgh re-signed with Buffalo on a one-year deal in March.
In Hamlin’s second season, he went into cardiac arrest on January 2, 2023 in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals. In the Week 17 race, Hamlin collided with Cincinnati wide receiver Tee Higgins and subsequently suffered a commotio cordis, leading to his cardiac arrest on the field.
Hamlin received CPR on the field before being taken to hospital and was in critical condition for approx. week. Bills athletic trainer Denny Kellington’s quick thinking to perform CPR is credited with saving Hamlin’s life.
Now, Safety Bill continues his mission to spread the word about the importance of CPR education and training.
“Delays in CPR can double or even triple a person’s chance of survival,” said the American Heart Assn. Nancy Brown, general manager, said via the team’s website. “This record-breaking moment with our incredible partners is about more than numbers—it represents nearly 1,300 people who are now ready to step in and help save lives. That’s how we build a nation of lifesavers.”
More than 350,000 people have an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest each year. Only 10% survive due to lack of timely CPR, according to the American Heart Association. For more information or to give, visit www.heart.org.