(Columbus, Ohio) -- Social media influencer Kevin Walsh couldn't believe what he was seeing.
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It was January 2, 2023, and Kevin was at the Buffalo Bills game where in the first quarter of the game in Cincinnati, Damar Hamlin, a 24-year-old safety, tackled Bengals receiver Tee Higgins, bringing him to the turf. Hamlin stood up after the tackle and took two steps but then collapsed on the field.
For nearly 20 minutes, Damar was given CPR before being taken away in an ambulance.
Kevin was at the game.
"Am I about to watch a guy die right in front of me?' Time just stopped. Seeing all the players surround Damar and just praying for him...it was really scary. Watching Damar getting compressions. At the time, I didn't even know the Lord, so I didn't even think to pray but I saw people around me praying. It's amazing that God delivered him," Kevin recalls.
The game was delayed before being called off, and the Bills flew home with Hamlin remaining in critical condition. His heart had stopped on the field before being restored.
Damar's near-fatal injury did the unthinkable--quiet an entire NFL stadium filled with fans and cause the game to end early.
Some say that a revival of sorts started that day. That perhaps God used that game to get the attention of a football-obsessed nation.
It wasn't a coincidence that Kevin was there. Unbeknownst to Kevin, God was doing something in his heart.
Eventually, his huge combined social media platform of over a million followers would be used to share the gospel.
So how did a guy who thought life was "great" accept Jesus?
"I really wasn't at a moment where...I felt like I had nothing left. A lot of it was just people in my life bringing it up to me and having me question, 'Hey what do you think about God and what do you think about Jesus' and it was really something I'd not even thought about."
How has Kevin's life changed since accepting Jesus as his Lord and Savior?
"First of all, I actually have life now. I feel like I'm actually finally living and I know Who I'm living for and why I'm here on earth."
Although Kevin's social media content is heavily focused on sports, his real goal is to bring glory to God in the process. Recently, he launched his brand new podcast, The Walk, where Ohio State University football players talk football and Jesus.
And Kevin's video of the Ohio State Buckeye football players' faith event on campus went viral.
And although Kevin had no idea what to expect that night on the OSU campus, he was blown away by the presence of God.
"It started out with worship...and there were thousands of people there. It felt like 2000 people were there and that was growing throughout the night as people were walking by and seeing the event. At least 7 different Ohio State players went up and spoke and shared their testimony and just how God was working in their life and just called on everyone in the crowd and just how much God loves them," Kevin recalled.
"God was really moving."
So, what's next for Kevin Walsh, the former atheist who just happened to be at that fateful Buffalo Bills game almost two years ago? Only God knows, but in the meantime, Kevin's focus is on Jesus.
"It all comes down to leaning on Him, right? And focusing on Him and putting Him first."
