Susan Lucci has major love for Damar Hamlin. The soap opera star, 76, was so happy to meet the football player, 24, who became a household name after suffering cardiac arrest in the middle of a Jan. 2, 2023, NFL game. Susan survived her own near-fatal heart attack in 2018 and became a huge advocate for heart health after, working with the American Heart Association to spread awareness and information about early detection and more.
The Days Of Our Lives alum shared photos of their meetup on her Instagram, telling fans “What a thrill to meet Damar.” Her caption went on, “Together with Nancy Brown, extraordinary CEO of American Heart—he is shining the brightest light on heart health.” She added a few heart emojis and the tags, #inspiration, #blessing, and #love.
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Susan and Damar looked like quite the pair in their photo. She rocked silky red shorts with a smart jacket and a chic Valentino belt. Though the drama queen was wearing heels, Buffalo Bills safety Damar still towered over her as he wrapped his arm around Susan for the photo. Damar was looking healthy and happy, offering a big smile as photogs snapped. His classic outfit included a dark denim jacket, over a Bills hoodie and matching pants.
Susan shared another Instagram shot of the pair hugging from behind. She continued to gush about the athlete in her caption, telling followers, “Thank you, Damar for all you are and all you’re doing — impacting heart health around the world/ bringing our entire country together, as we rooted for your recovery.”
Damar is back on his feet after an on-the-field health scare in early Jan. He collapsed after blocking a hit during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals and was immediately hospitalized. He was released from the hospital on Jan. 9, but it wasn’t until Jan. 31, 2023, that he addressed the incident publicly.
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“What happened to me on Monday Night Football I feel is a direct example of God using me as a vessel to share my passion and my love directly from my heart with the entire world,” he told fans on Twitter. “And I’m able to give it back to kids and communities all across the world who need it the most, and that’s always been my dream. That’s always been what I stood for and what I’ll continue to stand for.”
In the post, Damar also launched the “Damar Hamlin 3 for Heart” CPR challenge in partnership with the American Heart Association. He urged fans to teach themselves the life-saving technique, telling them, “As you know, CPR saved my life earlier this year on the field, and CPR could easily save your life or someone you love.”