Damar Hamlin grew up in a neighborhood surrounded by drugs and gangs, but with the guidance of his parents, he managed to rise above his circumstances and stay on the right path.
Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin has been all over the field, with his most crucial play being a strip-sack on quarterback Lamar Jackson on January 19.
Highlights
- Damar Hamlin’s mom, Nina, was only sixteen when she had him; he couldn’t imagine being that young with a child.
- Mario and Nina started an office cleaning business together, with Mom still running a daycare center in Pennsylvania.
- He had to spend almost four years without his dad, Mario, who was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for selling drugs.
The play led to a fumble recovery by Bills defensive end Von Miller, who nearly scored.
This turnover resulted in a 1-yard touchdown, giving the Bills an early 14-7 lead.
By the middle of the second quarter in the Divisional round, Hamlin had already recorded three tackles, including two solo, two tackles for loss, a sack, and a forced fumble, contributing to the Bills’ strong start.
Hamlin started all 14 regular-season games this season, showing a strong comeback for the Bills.
He finished with 89 tackles (62 solo), two tackles for loss, two interceptions, five pass breakups, and a fumble recovery.
Damar Hamlin Was Born To Teen Parents Mario And Nina Hamlin
In a 2021 interview, Damar Hamlin talked about how close he is to his family.
He mentioned that his mom, Nina, was only sixteen when she had him, and he couldn’t imagine being that young with a child.
His parents, Mario and Nina, started an office cleaning business together, with mom still running a daycare center in Pennsylvania.
Hamlin doesn’t have children yet, but he has a younger brother named Damir, born in 2015.
Damir looks up to him and dreams of becoming a football player like his older brother.
Damar Hamlin mentioned that it was just him and his parents in the beginning, and they taught him essential values like hard work and life lessons.
The NFL star had to spend almost four years without his dad, Mario, who was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for selling drugs to support the family.
Growing up, Hamlin also experienced the tragic loss of three friends who were shot and killed, and those murders still haven’t been solved.
After finishing high school at Catholic Central, Hamlin chose to stay close to home and played football at the University of Pittsburgh, where he spent five seasons from 2016 to 2020.
He maintained regular contact with his dad while in prison, with Mario calling his son as often as possible to check on him.
The Bills player explained that there were times when he could have gone down the wrong path, but his parents were always there to guide him and help him stay focused.
In 2023, he honored his parents for his success before he was rushed to the hospital after a terrifying collision on the field led to him suffering a cardiac arrest.
He remained in critical condition in the ICU after collapsing during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
His mother was at the game and accompanied her son in the ambulance as he was taken to the hospital.
Further, Damar Hamlin mentioned that he was the type of kid who listened and followed their guidance.
He admitted it was tough, and it took some time for him to adjust.
Additional Information
- Hamlin was regarded as a top cornerback when he graduated from Central Catholic High School.
- He was a four-star recruit and attracted attention from major colleges like Pittsburgh, Penn State, Ohio State, and Temple.
- In his first year in 2016, he played three games before getting injured and was given a medical redshirt for the season.
