After captivating the nation with his comeback story following his cardiac arrest and collapse during an NFL game in 2023, Damar Hamlin now encourages others with similar heart conditions including a Chicago teenager.
The Buffalo Bills safety calls to check on Jaden Hartley, 15, of Chicago’s Morgan Park neighborhood.
“It can be a lonely journey to navigate, so to have some people to bounce some thoughts off of, definitely has been key for me,” Hamlin told Jaden during a recent video call.
Jaden first met Hamlin when he surprised him at Lurie Children’s Hospital last summer after Jaden’s surgery to add a heart pump.
“It was a nice little boost in confidence,” said Jaden. “I don’t get to see like famous people too often, so a person like coming to the hospital to see me, like sit in my room, talk to me about how to get through this.”
Doctors had discovered an enlarged heart that caused Jaden to go into heart failure while on vacation.
“My son is very reserved… so to see him light up,” said Ja’Shar Hartley, Jaden’s father. “Those are one of the greatest times to see Jaden smile and light up during that experience. So ever indebted to Damar Hamlin.”
During last week’s video call, Hamlin told Jaden he “drafted” him into Hamlin’s nationwide support group called “Abbott’s Heart Mates” abbott.com/HeartMates — the company that made Jaden’s heart pump.
A few months after his diagnosis and heart pump, Jaden got a heart transplant last September.
“It’s a blessing. Somebody like had to die for this and it’s a sad experience like for the family and I pray, like praise to them,” Jaden said.
Jaden hopes he’ll be able to play basketball again later this year.
“You put a smile on my face too just seeing you continue to keep going. You know, just keep growing each day,” Hamlin told Jaden during the call. “You know you can always call my phone. Whether it’s about, anything.”
In a recent video call, Hamlin mentioned wanting a rematch in Madden NFL against the teen, with the two first playing during Hamlin’s visit to the hospital last summer.
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