Pitt basketball team alum honors Damar Hamlin after he suffered cardiac arrest vs. Bengals

Damar Hamlin was honored by both his alma mater and the Buffalo Sabres Tuesday night just a day after he suffered a cardiac arrest vs. the Bengals.

As the Pitt basketball team took on Virginia, the school revealed a touching message on the screen during a timeout 9:03 into the contest.

‘Damar, We love you,’ it read. 

‘We are praying for you. Pittsburgh’s always had your back. And now it’s obvious the entire country has your back, too.’

Pitt players also donned shirts that read ‘Chasing Millions’, the name of Hamlin’s charity that serves the local Pittsburgh community.

And the Buffalo Sabres also followed suit in wearing shirts to honor Hamlin, as the players wore tees that with ‘Love for 3’ on them as they walked into Capital One Arena to face the Capitals.

Sabres players wore shirts that said ‘Love for 3’ before they faced the Capitals in Washington

The Sabres and Bills share the same owners, Terry and Kim Pegula, and consider themselves part of the same organization. 

Although this was a Buffalo road game, the Capitals paid tribute to Hamlin with a moment of support before the national anthem.

The Sabres said neither players nor coach Don Granato would speak to reporters Tuesday because they were still processing Hamlin’s situation.

In Pittsburgh, fans gave a standing ovation as the aforementioned message was shown on the screen.

Hamlin grew up in Pittsburgh and previously explained his reasoning for staying close to home in college. 

‘I’ve got a baby brother [Damir Hamlin], he’s six years old right now and that was the biggest reason probably why I chose Pitt,’ he told News 4 Buffalo after he was drafted by the Bills two years ago.

‘Just staying close to my family and then having my little brother around so I could be a role model for him and just show him examples of life that I’ve never really had,’ Hamlin said.

Hamlin’s uncle Dorrian Glenn told CNN Tuesday that his nephew had to be resuscitated twice on the field after collapsing, but is now ‘trending upwards’ as he remains in critical condition.