(Sports News) Damar Hamlin cam out on top when .Google recently released its compilation of the most searched people and events in 2023, revealing some surprising outcomes, particularly in the realm of sports where Kylian Mbappe found himself in the second spot on the list of the most searched athletes.
The question arose: Who surpassed Mbappe to claim the top spot? Was it his former Paris St-Germain teammate, Lionel Messi, whose performance in the FIFA World Cup final led Argentina to victory while France faced defeat? Or was it Cristiano Ronaldo, who made headlines by moving to the Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr, triggering a wave of transfers to the Asian country?
Surprisingly, the answer is neither. In fact, both Ronaldo and Messi didn’t even make it to the top 10 list of the most searched athletes in 2023. The coveted position belonged to Damar Hamlin, an American football player who also claimed the overall title of the most searched person on Google for the year.
So, who is Damar Hamlin? The 25-year-old plays in the National Football League (NFL) for the Buffalo Bills, having been selected as the 212th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Before making it to the NFL, he pursued his studies at the University of Pittsburgh.
Hamlin plays in the ‘safety’ position, a defensive role that combines aspects of both linebacker and cornerback positions. As the last line of defense in games, safeties are tasked with preventing the ball from advancing past them, often focusing on containing the opposition team’s wide receivers.
Why was Damar Hamlin the most Googled person in 2023? In January of that year, during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Hamlin experienced a cardiac arrest after making a tackle on wide receiver Tee Higgins. Despite initially appearing fine, Hamlin collapsed on the field after a few minutes. Medical personnel rushed to his aid, providing resuscitation efforts, including CPR. The game was eventually called off, and Hamlin was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center in an ambulance.
The incident prompted an outpouring of support from NFL players, and fans held vigils in Cincinnati and outside the Bills’ home stadium. In a remarkable show of solidarity, a GoFundMe page that Hamlin had initiated for a toy drive for kids received nearly $5.5 million in donations within the first 24 hours after his injury.
It was later revealed that Hamlin’s cardiac arrest resulted from a condition known as commotio cordis, which occurs when severe chest trauma disrupts the heart’s electrical charge, leading to dangerous fibrillations or abnormal heartbeats. Despite the ordeal, Hamlin successfully made a comeback to the Bills team.
In an interview in April, he reflected on his experience, stating, “I died on national TV in front of the whole world.” The lists provided by Google for 2023 include the top trending athletes and people searches, with Damar Hamlin securing the top spot in both categories.
