CINCINNATI — In Peter Rodish’s eyes, Damar Hamlin is a playmaker.
“He has certainly been the next man up and certainly has been a leader on the field from what we’ve see and the action and this guy comes out of nowhere to make plays,” Rodish said.
Rodish is a part of the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati Buffalo Bills Backers group that has over 300 members.
He was watching the game from a hotel room in Northern Kentucky that had a view of the stadium. He felt like he needed to be close to Paycor Stadium as he watched the game. What he saw happen to Damar Hamlin Monday night broke his heart.
“We could look right over and see the stadium and now I can’t see what’s going on, but you could almost feel it across the river,” he said.
Since Damar’s collapse after going into cardiac arrest in the 1st quarter of the Bills-Bengals game Monday, people across the country have rallied behind Damar, including a few businesses in the Tri-State.
Cincy Shirts launched a new collection of t-shirts supporting Damar.
“We’re cranking them out and getting them ready here in the stores,” said Cincy Shirts Retail Manager Nicholas Johnson.
“We were a little apprehensive at first to put out a design just due to the severity of the situation, but we were asked by the community and we got a lot of questions and emails asking what we can do to help out with his foundation,” Johnson said. “So, with that in mind we decided to put out a design and 100 percent of the net proceeds will go to the Chasing M’s Foundation.”
Tri-State businesses are doing what they can to support Damar Hamlin and his family. At The Gruff in Covington they’re donating $2 from every drink made with the bourbon Buffalo Trace. Proceeds will go to Hamlin’s Chasing M’s Foundation. @WCPO pic.twitter.com/5bPRLzuy4R
— Jessica Hart WCPO (@JessicaHartTV) January 4, 2023
Johnson noted they are selling 4 different shirts and will continue to sell them as long as there is demand.
The Gruff located in Covington is also getting involved.
“We are taking $2 from every sale that includes Buffalo Trace and donating it to Damar Hamlin’s fundraiser Chasing M’s,’” said Kaylie Lehman, the marketing manager for The Gruff.
Lehman added it was gut-wrenching to watch Damar collapse and not get up. The next day she knew she wanted to do something to support him.
“Football is family. At the end of the day these guys are more than just athletes, they're human beings,” Lehman said.
She added this fundraiser will run through the end of the regular season.
LFGCincy also made a donation to Chasing M's.
Rodish said seeing all of the support in the Tri-State and across the country is touching.
“It’s amazing and it’s unbelievable and then the city turned blue. I mean come on. This is absolutely amazing that everybody almost immediately after this hit and immediately after the ambulance left and everybody was praying on the ground, I think everybody forgot about football and started thinking about human beings,” Rodish said.
Rodish hopes to get in touch with Hamlin’s family to learn how the Buffalo Bills Backers can support Damar and his family.
He said prayers are still needed as Damar remains in the ICU.
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