Soccer Fans Honor Deceased Daughter of Rival Team's Crew Member by Tossing Stuffed Toys
There have been many instances in the history of sports events when two opposing teams and their supporters have dissolved the rivalry between them to join hands in solidarity and contribute towards something positive.
In one such heartfelt display at a football game between the Dutch football team Cambuur and FC Emmen, Cambuur supporters honored the deceased 14-year-old daughter of one of Emmen’s staff members. The supporters present at the stadium tossed hundreds of soft toys and plushies on the field during the 14th minute of the game.
Een geweldig gebaar van de Cambuur-fans 🥺🧸❤️ pic.twitter.com/OCL2ARDyWY
— ESPN NL (@ESPNnl) January 15, 2023
The event took place on January 15, 2022, in Emmen, Netherlands. The video posted by ESPN on Twitter—which has amassed massive popularity among netizens—also shows the spectators at the game waving a giant banner with the name of the staff member Mickael and his late daughter Shania. With heaps of stuffed toys pouring in, the match was required to pause for a while as other staff members at the venue rushed in to clear them off the field as quickly as possible.
A Twitter user @alledevries left a comment which read: "What a great and heartwarming action from the Cambuur supporters!" Another user @Tribunus80 wrote, "The best moment of the premier league weekend."
Wat een geweldige en hartverwarmende actie van de Cambuur-supporters!
— Alle de Vries ❄️ (@alledevries) January 15, 2023
The original video has been circulating on the internet and has been re-uploaded on Reddit by u/CatsAreWhatHappens as well.
Mrs. Hardenbrook’s third grade class has a message for Damar Hamlin. 💙
— Byron-Bergen CSD (@BBCSDBuzz) January 12, 2023
They also packed get-well-soon cards made by BB elementary students from all grade levels to mail. @HamlinIsland, congrats on your discharge! Love from the Bees coming your way! #LoveForDamar #BEEtheLIGHT pic.twitter.com/7Uc92miHML
Talking about heart-touching tributes, a bunch of Cincinnati school kids organized a special tribute for Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin when he was admitted to the hospital. According to TODAY, Sarah Taylor—wife of Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor—organized a letter-writing campaign for Hamlin, and 40 schools participated in it, making get-well-soon cards for the player. The campaign first started with Cardinal Pacelli School.
"Mrs. Taylor reached out to us about helping with a get-well cards campaign to show support for Damar Hamlin. We were eager to lend a hand. The students have a lot of compassion and value in the power of prayer," school principal Terri Cento said. “We hope to give support to Damar and his family with it."
According to CNN, Hamlin was released from the medical facility on January 9, 2022, after he was admitted for suffering a cardiac arrest. After his condition improved, he was flown back to Buffalo. "He is doing well and this is the beginning of the next stage of his recovery," said Dr. William A Knight, a doctor at UC Medical Center in Cincinnati.