Damar Hamlin still in critical condition after collapse, family issues statement
After collapsing during an NFL game in Ohio City on Monday night, Buffalo Bills star safety Damar Hamlin is in critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
The defensive back, who is 24 years old, was playing in ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” matchup between the visiting Bills and the host Cincinnati Bengals. What appeared to be a normal tackle on Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins early in the first quarter involved Hamlin. Both Hamlin and Higgins stood up after the tackle. The players around them started to walk back to their huddles for the next play.
Without warning, Hamlin stumbled backwards and collapsed on the ground. As soon as the injury occurred, trainers and medical personnel rushed out onto the field. This incident didn’t look like a normal football injury, as reporters in the stadium and fans watching on television could see. As medical staffers frantically attended to Hamlin, players on the field were visibly upset and shocked.
Three University of Virginia football players were killed in an on-campus shooting.
While Hamlin was down on the field, trainers immediately began giving him life-saving CPR, according to reporters covering the game. After several minutes of work, the field was graced by the arrival of an ambulance. First responders kept working to stabilize Hamlin as they rushed him into the ambulance. He was driven away to UC Medical Center near the city’s football stadium.
The game was temporarily delayed in the aftermath. Though the players were clearly in no state to play. Many were crying on the field. Both teams’ head coaches came together and eventually chose to leave the field. The NFL announced an hour-long suspension of the game after a delay. A plan to resume play has not yet been announced.
The game is not relevant in this context. The focus is instead on Hamlin. On Monday night, the NFL’s public relations arm confirmed that Bills star was “in critical condition” at the hospital in Cincinnati.
The NFL has issued a statement saying Bills safety Damar Hamlin is in “critical condition” at a local hospital.
Several more updates on Hamlin come in throughout the evening. An indication from Hamlin’s marketing representative, Jordon Rooney, was most notably reported by CBS Sports and others. Late Monday night, he took to Twitter to report that Hamlin’s vital signs were “back to normal” after being intubated and sedated while under the care of doctors.
They have put him to sleep to put a breathing tube down his throat and his vitals are now back to normal. They are administering tests at the present moment.
ESPN reports that Hamlin’s mother was at the game in Cincinnati on Monday night. She was rushed to the field after his injury. She was later transported to the hospital to be with her son there, too.
The cause of this awful incident is still unclear. The Bills released a statement on Tuesday morning with more information. After tackling Higgins, Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest, according to the team’s report.
Following a hit in our game versus the Bengals, Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest. He was transferred to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment after his heartbeat was restored on the field. He is currently unconscious and his condition is critical.
Hamlin remains in critical condition as doctors work to stabilize and treat him.
The Bills’ former sixth-round draft pick out of the University of Pittsburgh has been playing exceptionally well this year. He has been making a difference both on and off the field. Hamlin started a charity in 2020 to purchase toys for underprivileged children in his hometown of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania. He had been working to raise funds for that charity during his time in professional football over the last two years.
After his horrific injury, Hamlin’s charity work went viral. On Monday night, NFL fans donated millions of dollars to Hamlin’s Chasing M Foundation after he was injured. As of Monday morning, the charity’s new GoFundMe page had just a few thousand dollars in donations, according to NPR. Within 24 hours it had exploded in popularity. As of Tuesday morning, Hamlin’s fundraiser has brought in nearly $3.9 million dollars from fans all over the world. HERE is where you can visit his GoFundMe page for yourself.
This is certainly a bright spot in this horrible situation. In that way, kudos to fans for showing support. What matters most is Hamlin’s health. Our prayers and best wishes are with the football star as he continues to fight for his life in the hospital.