And how the support from his community inspired him to pay it forward.
Key Points
- Damar Hamlin spoke to EatingWell about his cardiac arrest recovery in this exclusive interview.
- He credits his journey back to the field to community support, trauma therapy, and mindset.
- Plus, how he’s giving back to community heroes with his Champions at Heart campaign.
When NFL player Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest in front of millions, it became a moment that transcended sports. Since making a full recovery, the athlete has not only returned his focus to the game of football, but to spreading awareness about heart health.
Through his campaign with Qunol, Champions at Heartthe Buffalo Bills safety is connecting with community heroes. We were given the opportunity to chat with Hamlin about the initiative—plus more on his own physical recovery, nutrition and how his community helped to make an impact on his journey back to health.
How did your cardiac event change your perspective on your health?
I think anyone who has a heart-related issue will say that you want to prioritize health as much as possible after. Something unique that inspires me and makes me chase better heart health is my environment and my community. I want to implement that in young kids growing up in my community so they know that living in a healthy way, where you’re prioritizing not only your heart health but all of your health, is the best way to live. I want to implement that in my elders so we can continue to show up and breed more champions at heart.
How did your own community make an impact on your recovery?
Just showing so much love, so much support and just being there. That even goes to why I feel compelled to continue to spread the love because of the love I’ve received. I can’t go to a place where someone’s not telling me how much I mean to them, how much inspiration I gave them to continue their own fight. I think that’s what life is about. Our story should be the blueprint for other people’s lives. I’m continuing to be at the front line of being a champion at heart and trying to inspire as many people to get on this journey with us.
How are you hoping to open up the conversation about heart health?
Qunol is redefining what it means to be a champion at heart, and everything that I’ve been doing over the last three years aligns with that. It’s not just elite athletes, but anyone whose passion, resilience and heart keep them moving forward. I’ve lived this both on the field and off the field, even at a young age. Being a champion isn’t about fame or trophies, it’s about showing up for your health, your community, your goals and the people who count on you. No matter what you’re chasing, we all have the heart of a champion.
What are some specific ways that you are protecting your heart and your overall health post cardiac event?
In general, I’m controlling whose input I allow in my ears. It’s a dangerous world. A lot of people want to pull you in the wrong direction. I seek from within and the people who’ve been around me my entire life. Thank God they’re all still here with me. I’m glad I can take a second to appreciate that. Beyond that, rest, get my sleep. I do a lot of traveling, a lot of moving around, trying to make as much impact as I can, just trying to leave a trail behind. You gotta take some time to take care of yourself. That’s been my motto all of 2026: the love that I give to others, I wanna give it to myself first this year. I’ve been doing a good job with that so far.
How has your nutrition changed?
I started to fix my diet as I got older, and stuff started to stick. I had to make adjustments and as I want to prolong my career, my heart health and health in general, you gotta always have that growth mindset and try to find better ways of living, better ways of thinking. I’m glad that on the field I’m surrounded by people putting this information right in front of me. I don’t have to seek far to have the best resources at my fingertips. From that point, I take everything I learned and pour it into everybody I know and everyone I care about, because ultimately we can all benefit from the kind of resources that I have that comes with the NFL, my sport, my team and the lifestyle that comes with it.
How were you able to work with specialists and professionals to craft your diet more toward your needs?
It honestly gets crazy to the level of things that you can do. You can do blood panels and see what vitamins your body doesn’t produce as much so that you can take the right supplements. It’s so many things you can do to prioritize your health now. So many preventative measures, so many reactive measures. It’s a lot out there that if you seek the right people, it’s right at your disposal.
What did a day of eating look like during your recovery?
I would love to give a shout out to Jeff Ruby. He’s a restaurant mogul, a long leader in his community. He does so many great things; he’s such a Cincinnati legend. He fed the whole hospital while I was in Cincinnati for seven days. I couldn’t eat, I bit my tongue, so I couldn’t enjoy any of the meals he was bringing through, but my family, as they were coming back in my room, were loving it.
What did your exercise routine look like in the months following this event?
I had to make sure that nothing was hereditary and genetically sound, so it was slow for a while. What I can say is the trauma therapy was an immediate relief. It was shifting my focus from, “This is something that happened to me,” to, “This is something that I can grow from and be better because of.”
Is there a piece of advice you could share from your experience that could help others prioritize their heart health moving forward?
Don’t wait until it’s too late to know CPR and how to use it. It’s like being a superhero and having a superpower. Continuing to be champions at heart, and I think it’s about knowing your “why” and continuing to allow others to see it.
Editor’s Note: This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
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