BUFFALO, N.Y. — This holiday week brought an early gift for Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, with a significant piece of legislation being signed into law that will have a lasting impact on heart health across the country. On Monday, President Joe Biden officially signed the Cardiomyopathy Health Education, Awareness, and Research, and AED Training in the Schools Act of 2024 (HEARTS Act) into law, a bill Hamlin strongly advocated for following his own life-altering experience with cardiac arrest during a January 2023 “Monday Night Football” game.
The bill, which was passed by the U.S. Senate in December and the House of Representatives in September, aims to improve access to heart health resources by ensuring that schools across the country are better equipped to handle cardiac emergencies. With the help of Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), the NFL’s Smart Hearts Coalition, and other key organizations like the American Heart Association, Hamlin worked tirelessly on this legislation to make sure that young people are better prepared in the event of a cardiac emergency. The law will establish a grant program through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to fund automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in schools, provide CPR training, and develop comprehensive cardiac emergency response plans.
“It’s super dope, man,” Hamlin said, reflecting on the achievement in an interview with ESPN. “Shoutout to Senator Schumer, shoutout to the Smart Hearts Coalition, shoutout to the American Heart Association and to my Chasing M’s Foundation. We all came together to make some legacy off the field. I always wanted to leave a legacy on the field, but to have a legacy and have meaning and purpose off the field — that means everything.”
For Hamlin, this victory represents much more than just a legislative achievement. After collapsing on the field during a January game against the Cincinnati Bengals, his heart stopped, and he required immediate medical intervention — including CPR and the use of an AED — to survive. His recovery and return to the field with the Bills in 2023 have been nothing short of miraculous, but his work in advocating for heart health is now his most important legacy. By championing this bill, Hamlin is ensuring that others, particularly students, have access to life-saving tools and training, potentially saving lives in schools across the country.
The HEARTS Act will help create a safer environment for students, with a focus on providing schools with the resources to respond to sudden cardiac events quickly and efficiently. The law will also make CPR and AED training more accessible for teachers, staff, and students, giving them the knowledge and skills to act in a crisis.
Hamlin’s work off the field exemplifies the power of sports figures to influence change in society. As he continues to heal and thrive on the field with the Buffalo Bills — starting in his first game back on October 1, 2023 — his advocacy for heart health serves as a reminder that athletes have a platform to make a difference that extends far beyond their athletic accomplishments. This law is just one example of Hamlin’s enduring legacy, both as a player and as a force for positive change in the world.