The Buffalo Bills have given a promising new update on player Damar Hamlin, who was injured in a horrific accident on Monday Night Football.
“Damar remains in the ICU in critical condition with signs of improvement noted yesterday and overnight,” the team said in a tweet.
Damar remains in the ICU in critical condition with signs of improvement noted yesterday and overnight.
He is expected to remain under intensive care as his health care team continues to monitor and treat him.
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 4, 2023
“He is expected to remain under intensive care as his health care team continues to monitor and treat him.”
Hamlin had actually died and was given CPR for nearly ten minutes before being resuscitated. Hamlin’s uncle said in a CNN interview that he had actually “died twice,” once on the field and once when he arrived at the hospital.
“Right now, they got him on a ventilator, so they’re trying to get him to breathe on his own,” Hamlin’s uncle Dorrian Glenn said to CNN. “So, we’re just kind of taking it day by day. Still in the ICU. They have him sedated, so just continue to administer the medical treatment that they’ve been doing.”
The Bills defensive back had suffered a severe blow to his chest from Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. After Hamlin was laid out, he stood up, wobbled, and then collapsed in a heap on the turf.
One of the freaky things about the Damar Hamlin hit is that it looked so routine. Blow to the upper chest. Slight glance off the helmet. Then he stands up and completely collapses. Disturbing stuff. #PrayersforHamlin 🙏 pic.twitter.com/YhO09uPpZO
— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) January 3, 2023
The replay from various angles and the fact that Hamlin had stood up after the hit suggested that it was not a spinal cord injury, but it could be cardiac-related.
The Buffalo Bills on early Tuesday put the speculation to rest with a statement.
Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest following a hit in our game versus the Bengals. His heartbeat was restored on the field and he was transferred to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment. He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition.
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 3, 2023
“Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest following a hit in our game versus the Bengals,” the official Buffalo Bills account tweeted. “His heartbeat was restored on the field and he was transferred to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment. He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition.”
According to a friend and marketing representative for Hamlin, “His vitals are back to normal and they have put him to sleep to put a breathing tube down his throat. They are currently running tests.”
Update on Damar:
His vitals are back to normal and they have put him to sleep to put a breathing tube down his throat. They are currently running tests.
We will provide updates as we have them.
— Jordon Rooney (@jordonr) January 3, 2023
Tricia Macke of Fox19 reported, “I am told that Damar Hamlin has been intubated and is currently listed in critical condition.”
I am told that Damar Hamlin has been intubated and is currently listed in critical condition. @fox19
— Tricia Macke (@FOX19Tricia) January 3, 2023
The New York Times reported that Hamlin was given CPR for nearly 10 minutes, which is a critical cut-off time for the procedure. Hamlin is therefore not out of the woods just yet.
Medical personnel administered CPR and attended to him for 10 minutes as players from both teams were visibly upset, some shedding tears on the sideline while others circled together and knelt in prayer. One medical professional appeared to administer an IV. Hamlin was later placed on a stretcher and transported to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
While some have speculated that the cardiac arrest could be vaccine-related, there is no substantive evidence to conclude such. One medical condition that entails cardiac arrest, commotio cordis (a phenomenon in which a sudden blunt impact to the chest causes sudden death in the absence of cardiac damage), can happen in healthy adults on rare occasion.
As one observer noted, “Chris Pronger suffered commotio cordis after taking a slap shot to the chest in 1998.”
Chris Pronger suffered commotio cordis after taking a slap shot to the chest in 1998.
Praying for a similar recovery and outlook for Damar Hamlin…Pronger was back on the ice weeks later and played 12 more seasons en route to the Hockey Hall of Fame. 🙏pic.twitter.com/qYfT8kv66s
— Ryan Clifford (@RyanClifford) January 3, 2023
This does not rule out underlying subclinical myocarditis as a potential contributing factor, but it does substantiate that commotio cordis can and does occur on rare occasion with healthy athletes.
The National Football League has embraced a league-wide movement to “Pray for Hamlin.” If there is one positive development to come out of this potential tragedy it is that America has suddenly embraced the power of prayer. Meanwhile, Hamlin’s charity toy drive has blown past $6 million as the nation holds its breath over the fate of the injured player.
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