PITTSBURGH — McKees Rocks native Damar Hamlin is giving back to the school that helped start his career.
On Monday, his “Chasing M’s Foundation” launched a new scholarship for students at Central Catholic High School.
“Someone saw something in me before the world did, and now I’m in a position to do the same,” Damar Hamlin said.
Hamlin returned to his alma mater, Central Catholic High School, to announce an investment in Pittsburgh students.
“Just driving here this morning, I did get a little emotional,” Hamlin said. “Just being able to realize what I was about to go into and what I was about to do.”
In Pittsburgh, 10 $1,000 scholarships will be given each year to Central Catholic students. Another five $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to students from any Pittsburgh-area high school who plan to attend a trade or vocational school. It’s being made possible through Hamlin’s Chasing M’s Foundation, which honors the people who helped save his life after he went into cardiac arrest during a Monday Night Football game.
“I encourage everybody you know, allow your experiences to, you know, make the world a better place,” Hamlin said. “Don’t shy away from sharing your experiences. You know you never know who you’ll be able to help.”
Fellow Central Catholic Alum Mayor Corey O’Connor says this is what it means to be a Pittsburgher.
“It just shows he didn’t forget where he came from and that’s what every Pittsburgh story is,” O’Connor said.
Applications will close on May 1, and students who are selected will be informed in mid-June. Details, criteria, and information for students interested in applying are available on Hamlin’s charity website at www.chasingmsfoundation.org.
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