CINCINNATI, Ohio — The tragic incident on the gridiron Monday night, involving 24-year-old Buffalo Bills Safety Damar Hamlin, has caught the attention of people across the world as an update awaits.
Millions of people saw it unfold on television but there were also thousands who were there in person for the somber moment, including North Texas native Lauren Beard.
Beard and her boyfriend, Tommy, planned a trip to Cincinnati specifically for the highly anticipated game.
"We knew it was at the end of the season, it was going to be a big game and so we had kind of had this plan trip or this trip planned for months," she said.
She shared videos with 6 News that showed a packed Paycor Stadium that was loud with a lively atmosphere. Flashforward to 10 minutes of playing time between the Bills and Bengals, the environment quickly changed.
"We knew something very bad had happened because the Bills players and the Bengals players were visibly upset," Beard recalled. "You could tell they were crying."
Hamlin suddenly collapsed on the field after standing up after a tackle.
Beard said the severity of the situation was clear, however, fans had no clue what was going on.
"The Bills players immediately made a wall around Damar and the medical staff so that the fans could not see what was going on," she explained.
She said the stadium was quiet from fans and even the public address announcer. She and others had to find out about CPR being given to Hamlin through those watching on television and social media. All the PA announcer told the crowd was the game was temporarily suspended and then suspended for the night.
"I mean it's crazy because no one thinks that's going to happen to them playing a sport," Beard said. "You think you might break a bone or something, but you never think you're gonna have a heart attack or something like that on the field and it's just heartbreaking, it's so sad."
Regardless of the team they cheer for, Beard said fans in the moment were united to support Hamlin and that spirit is ongoing.
"They both recognize that they're both great teams, and they're both great fan bases and so I think that that just says a lot that both of these fan bases are, you know, there's no animosity and they're both, you know, willing to come together to make sure that they can both do everything they can to help this young man," she added.
Beard's boyfriend has decided to donate some of his fantasy football earnings to Hamlin's foundation as the North Texas pair has hopes for a positive recovery for Hamlin.
By late Tuesday night, a community toy drive organized by Hamlin had surged to more than $5.8 million in donations. His stated goal was $2,500.