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Irsay, Colts donate $25,003 to Damar Hamlin's toy drive fundraiser

The Buffalo Bills safety's GoFundMe page has raised $7 million since he was injured Monday night in Cincinnati.

INDIANAPOLIS — The GoFundMe for Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin's toy drive surpassed $7 million early Thursday morning, with the top individual donation thus far coming from Indianapolis.

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay donated $25,003 to the fundraiser — the extra $3 being a nod to Hamlin's jersey number — on behalf of himself and the Colts. 

Several NFL teams are among the donors listed on the fundraiser page, including $18,003 from the New England Patriots and owner Robert Kraft. According to the Patriots, the number 18 stands for "chai" or "life" in the Jewish faith, along with the same $3 as Irsay to honor Hamlin. 

Hamlin, who collapsed after making a tackle during Monday night's game against the Cincinnati Bengals, started the fundraiser in 2020 with an initial goal of $2,500 to help buy toys for children in need for Christmas. Donations started piling up on the page in the hours after Hamlin's injury Monday night.

Other NFL teams, including the Houston Texans and Washington Commanders, were also listed among the top donors to the account, along with NFL quarterbacks Tom Brady, Russell Wilson and his wife, Ciara, Matthew Stafford and Andy Dalton and his wife, JJ. 

Bills fans famously donated thousands of dollars to Dalton's charity when the quarterback led the Bengals to a win over Baltimore, clinching a playoff spot for Buffalo.

Among the recognizable names from the NFL in the donor list are fantasy football leagues who have donated to the fundraiser, along with businesses and those who say they are fans of Hamlin's.

That includes Sheets Laundry Club, which also donated $25,003 to the fundraiser, the same as Jim Irsay's donation. According to a tweet from the company, the father of one of their founders is a Bills fan from Altoona, Pennsylvania, about two hours from Hamlin's hometown. 

According to the GoFundMe page, Hamlin created his Chasing M’s Foundation "to use as a vehicle to bring lasting impact to his community" through toy drives, back-to-school drives, kids camps, and other endeavors.

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