THE MIRACLE OF DAMAR HAMLIN
GQ US|December 2023 - January 2024
In January, with the whole country watching, Damar Hamlin's heart stopped during a Monday Night Football game. When he woke up, he became a national hero, and then, this fall, he made an incredible return to the NFL. Now, in his first in-depth interview since his comeback, he talks about his remarkable journey back to football-and his effort to make the most of a terrifying incident.
SAM SCHUBE
THE MIRACLE OF DAMAR HAMLIN

ON A BRIGHT FALL Sunday in October, Damar Hamlin took the field for the Buffalo Bills. That he didn't play much-18 snaps, all coming on special teams duty- was beside the point. His being there at all was the stunning thing. Nine months earlier, Hamlin had collapsed on the field, right there on camera, during a Monday Night Football game. The night fell into a strange, echoing pause in the usually seamless operation of America's most inevitable cultural institution. Nearly 24 million people watched as Hamlin was taken off the field in an ambulance. The game was called off with viewers unsure of whether or not they had seen a man die on television. The next day, a sportscaster prayed live on ESPN. For a time, updates on his recovery were headline news. And now, here he was. Hugging teammates. in the tunnel before kickoff. Dapping up the trainer whose quick response had helped save his life. Dancing on the field during warmups, a young man glad to be playing the sport he loves. "To be able to still do what I love at the highest level in the world is amazing," he told reporters after the game.

It was quite possibly the most remarkable comeback in sports history. It was also a more interesting story than that.

I spent time with Hamlin this fall, and I found a warm, kindhearted young man doing his best to make sense of the strange turns his life has taken. He was glad to serve as the smiling face of a cause that, between heartbeats, chose him. But he was also ready to get back to being a football player, despite the obvious challenges, and to do everything within his power to make sure his collapse wasn't the only thing people know him for.

It isn't always easy. Recovery is not a linear process. And if fame comes with unique obligations, fame for this carries an even weirder burden. It can be hard, for instance, to predict how people will react to his presence.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM GQ USView all
Make Your First Electric Car an Old Ford Bronco
GQ US

Make Your First Electric Car an Old Ford Bronco

In a former naval shipyard outside San Francisco, one start-up is cooking up cars for the next century-just not the kind you think.

time-read
10+ mins  |
October 2024
A Watch Is More Than Just a Pretty Face
GQ US

A Watch Is More Than Just a Pretty Face

As collectors look to make their grail watches stand out, they're turning to unique vintage bracelets and paying thousands on thousands for straps on the secondary market.

time-read
3 mins  |
October 2024
Wes Lang's Heroes of Love..
GQ US

Wes Lang's Heroes of Love..

This month, LA-based artist Wes Lang unveils The Black Paintings, a monumental series of works that play like storyboards to a raucous midnight horror movie and a spiritual quest. Here, GQ collaborates with the artist on a fashion story that brings his stylish characters off the canvas.

time-read
8 mins  |
October 2024
The Miraculous Resurrection of Notre-Dame
GQ US

The Miraculous Resurrection of Notre-Dame

In 2019, a fire nearly destroyed the crown jewel of France-and the nation set a breakneck five-year deadline to bring it back from the ashes. This is the story of how an army of artisans turned back centuries to restore Notre-Dame by hand, and wound up reviving something even greater than the cathedral itself.

time-read
10+ mins  |
October 2024
GET RICH SLOW - GQ ANSWERS ALL YOUR PERSONAL-FINANCE QUESTIONS
GQ US

GET RICH SLOW - GQ ANSWERS ALL YOUR PERSONAL-FINANCE QUESTIONS

THIS MAGAZINE talks a lot about money. Not explicitly, but implicitly. Clothes. Watches. Art. Travel. You know, the good life. So for once, we wanted to take your money questions head-on. Over these 10 pages, we'll talk about how to save, invest, and-yes-spend the GQ way. Tackling everything from ETFs and Roth IRAs to whether or not being really good at sourcing watches or betting on sports qualifies as \"investing.\" So if you're wondering: Can I make smart money choices without giving up all the cool, stylish, indulgent things I love? The answer is yes. As long as you do it right.

time-read
4 mins  |
October 2024
Can Anyone Catch LAMAR JACKSON?
GQ US

Can Anyone Catch LAMAR JACKSON?

THERE IS AN awestruck, almost mythical way that folks discuss Lamar Jackson. Teammates, coaches, and fans talk about the Baltimore Ravens' incandescent 27-year-old quarterback like he's the football version of Paul Bunyan, if Bunyan ran the 40-yard dash in 4.3 seconds.

time-read
9 mins  |
October 2024
"IT'S NOT ABOUT BEING PERFECT. IT'S ABOUT BEING REVOLUTIONARY"
GQ US

"IT'S NOT ABOUT BEING PERFECT. IT'S ABOUT BEING REVOLUTIONARY"

Beyoncé Knowles-Carter talks business, legacy, art, and family.

time-read
10+ mins  |
October 2024
Healthy Protein Can Help Shrink Your Gut - Being a trainer, bodybuilder, and nutrition expert means that companies frequently send me their products and ask for my stamp of approval.
GQ US

Healthy Protein Can Help Shrink Your Gut - Being a trainer, bodybuilder, and nutrition expert means that companies frequently send me their products and ask for my stamp of approval.

Like my father always said, "What you put inside your body always shows up on the outside." One protein shake that I received, that will remain nameless, was touted as 'the next big shake' but really had a list of gut destroying ingredients. Everywhere I read I saw harmful artificial ingredients, added sugars, synthetic dyes, preservatives and cheap proteins; the kind of proteins that keep you fat no matter how hard you hit the gym, sap your energy and do nothing for your muscles.

time-read
3 mins  |
September 2024
THE FUTURE SOUNDS LIKE AT EEZ
GQ US

THE FUTURE SOUNDS LIKE AT EEZ

The Coachella-slaying, multi-language-singing, genre-obliterating members of Ateez are quickly becoming load-bearing stars of our global pop universe.

time-read
10 mins  |
September 2024
Inside the undercover adventures of a full-time fraud sleuth.
GQ US

Inside the undercover adventures of a full-time fraud sleuth.

HOW TO MAKE A FORTUNE AS A PROFESSIONAL WHISTLE-BLOWER

time-read
10+ mins  |
September 2024