Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin woke up in a Cincinnati hospital this week after collapsing on the field Monday night from cardiac arrest. On Saturday as professional football resumed, and after a week’s worth of prayers from millions, he spoke to the world.
Hamlin posted to Instagram a heartfelt thanks.
“When you put real love out into the world it comes back to you 3x’s as much,” Hamlin wrote. “The Love has been overwhelming, but I’m thankful for every single person that prayed for me and reached out. We brung the world back together behind this. If you know me you know this only gone make me stronger. On a long road keep praying for me!”
Hamlin made a tackle on Cincinnati’s Tee Higgins during the first quarter Monday night in a pivotal AFC game. After the tackle, Hamlin stood up and then slumped to the turf. Team doctors and local paramedics quickly went to him, eventually using CPR to resuscitate Hamlin. He was placed into an ambulance on the field and taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
While he was motionless on the field, his Bills teammates knelt in large circle surrounding him and the medics. The game was suspended for the night and eventually canceled.
Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images
Hamlin has been in intensive care, and he finally opened his eyes on Wednesday. He was able to grasp the hands of his family at his side.
The Bills issued a statement on Thursday with an update on Hamlin’s status.
“Damar has shown remarkable improvement over the past 24 hours. While still critically ill, he was demonstrated that he appears to be neurologically intact. His lungs continue to heal and he is making steady progress,” the team wrote.
Hamlin has a charity called Chasing M’s Foundation Community Toy Drive. A GoFundMe was set up for the charity with a goal of $2,500. GoFundMe tweeted his page immediately after his injury saying: “Following his injury on the field tonight, fans across the country are showing their support for him and his family by donating to his fundraiser.”
It raised more than $650,000 within an hour and $3.4 million by the next day. As of Saturday night it has raised more than $8.2 million.
Hamlin has been the lead story on almost every sports cast all week, and he’s been the No. 1 topic for all football shows.
NFL resumed play with a doubleheader on Saturday evening and night. Players wore shirts with Hamlin’s 3 to honor him. Fans wore clothes and held signs to honor Hamlin, whose jersey was the top seller this week.
Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images
