Bills trainer who helped save Damar Hamlin's life gets NFL MVP vote thanks to Suzy Kolber's gesture

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Buffalo Bills players huddle after Damar Hamlin was taken off the field.
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Denny Kellington, the Bills trainer who helped save the life of Damar Hamlin on Jan. 2, earned a vote for NFL MVP, tying him for ninth overall in the vote tally for the award.

Kellington, one of the team's assistant athletic trainers, has been credited as having helped save Hamlin's life when he collapses during a "Monday Night Football" game against the Bengals and went into cardiac arrest. Kellington performed CPR on Hamlin for nearly 10 minutes, which restored his pulse.

ESPN's Suzy Kolber, who cast her fifth-place vote for Kellington, told the Associated Press' Rob Maaddi that it was a "symbolic gesture representing 'everyone' who carries the weight of that job, every week."

"They rarely get the recognition they deserve," Kolber told Maaddi.

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Players and coaches after that Jan. 2 game was canceled were quick to praise Kellington for his efforts in saving Hamlin's life, including Hamlin, who later said Kellington's ability to react quickly and know exactly what to do in the moment saved him.

"I owe Denny my life. Literally," Hamlin said on "Good Morning America." "He loves to say he was just doing his job. But ... that night, he was literally the savior of my life, you know, administering CPR on me."

After that game, coach Sean McDermott called Kellington a hero for his efforts in saving Hamlin's life.

"For an assistant to find himself at that position and needing to take the action that he did and step up and take charge like he did and there were others on the field as well is nothing short of amazing," McDermott said. "And the courage that that took, you talk about a real leader, a real hero in saving Damar's life and admire his strength."

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During the NFL awards ceremony, Hamlin appeared on stage with medical personnel from the Bills and Bengals training staffs, as well as those from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center that helped save his life.

Hamlin said he was amazed how his experiences helped encourage others across the world, with his sudden cardiac arrest leading to prayers for his recovery, millions of dollars in donations to his charity and led to more people learning CPR.

"Sudden cardiac arrest is something I never would have chosen to be a part of my story, but that's because our own visions are too small even when we think we see the whole picture. My vision was about playing in the NFL and being the best player I could be, but God's plan was to have a purpose greater than any game in the world," Hamlin said. "My entire life, I felt like God was using me to give others hope and now with a new set of circumstances, I can say he's doing what he's always done. I have a long journey ahead, a journey full of unknowns and a journey full of milestones, but it's a lot easier to face your fears when you know your purpose."

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Edward Sutelan is a content producer at The Sporting News.