WEDNESDAY UPDATE: The Buffalo Bills announced on Wednesday that, there were noted signs of improvement in Damar Hamlin’s recovery overnight and on Wednesday morning.
While it’s unclear at the time what those signs are, Hamlin’s uncle was on television on Tuesday night suggesting that his nephew had improved to just using 50% oxygen from a ventilator as opposed to 100% when he checked in.
A spokesperson for the Hamlin family, Jordon Rooney, who has been described as a good friend and Hamlin’s marketing rep, also mentioned on Wednesday that “We all remain optimistic. “Damar is still [the family’s] first concern. But for them, they always look at how they can turn a somewhat troubling situation into a good one. The bounce back from this, for him and his family is going to be incredible.”
The expectation is that Hamlin will remain in intensive care as his medical team continued to monitor and treat him. Reports have suggested that the medical team is focused on regulating his body temperature now to ensure a full recovery.
Continue below to read our full original story on Damar Hamlin and his initial recovery
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is in critical condition after collapsing on the field after making a tackle during Monday night’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The team released a statement early Tuesday morning stating that the 24-year-old suffered a cardiac arrest where his heartbeat was restored while on the field.
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
The incident occurred late in the first quarter after Hamlin collided with Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins while making a tackle. The safety got to his feet and looked as though he was adjusting his facemask before collapsing on the field where he then lay motionless.
Per reports, Hamlin’s jersey was cut and he received CPR while on the field. It took 16 minutes after he collapsed at approximately 8:55 p.m. ET for him to be taken off in the ambulance that took him and his family, who were in attendance, to a nearby hospital.
While there was some speculation that the game would resume after a brief delay, Bengals’ head coach Zac Taylor and Bills’ head coach Sean McDermott met on the field and later in the locker rooms to discuss the mental and emotional state of the players on both teams and whether it was in anybody’s best interest to continue playing.
The NFL officially called the game more than an hour after Hamlin left the field with no indication of when or if the game would be played.
“Hamlin received immediate medical attention on the field by team and independent medical staff and local paramedics,” the NFL released in a statement Monday night. “He was then transported to a local hospital where he is in critical condition. Our thoughts are with Damar and the Buffalo Bills. We will provide more information as it becomes available.”
Later on Monday evening, Hamlin’s marketing representative Jordon Rooney tweeted that “[Hamlin’s] vitals are back to normal and they have put him to sleep to put a breathing tube down his throat.”
The Bills flew back to Buffalo on Monday night, and the NFL has said that no decisions on restarting the game as being made at this moment, insisting that the sole focus is on Hamlin’s health.
The team canceled media availability on Tuesday, out of respect for Hamlin, and the safety’s family released a statement expressing their “sincere gratitude for the love and support shown to Damar during this challenging time. We are deeply moved by the prayers, kind words, and donations from fans around the country.”
Most of the donations have gone to a toy drive organized by The Chasing M’s Foundation, which Hamlin started while in college at the University of Pittsburgh. The toy drive, which had a goal of raising $2,500, is now up over $4 million dollars.
The GoFundMe has been updated by somebody close to the Hamlin family to state that it is the only fund currently being used by them. Even with the holidays behind us, the foundation will use the money to “support toy drives, back-to-school drives, kids camps, and more” in underserved communities hit hardest by the pandemic.
One of the donors is former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback, Andy Dalton. After Dalton led the Bengals to a 2017 victory over the Ravens that allowed Buffalo to make the playoffs for the first time in 17 years, Bills fans donated over $440,000 to his charitable foundation. On Tuesday, Dalton’s wife took to Instagram to urge people to do the same for Hamlin and the Buffalo community.
Hamlin’s family also acknowledged the potentially life-saving measures taken by the first responders and the healthcare professionals at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, while also thanking Coach Taylor and the entire Bengals organization for their support.”
As of Tuesday afternoon, there has been no word from the NFL on plans to continue the game and the NFLPA has stated that their only focus is “on the health of our brother, Damar Hamlin” and ensuring that “Bills and Bengals players have every resource available to aid and support them during this time.”
This is a developing story that we will update as necessary.
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