Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin has shown “substantial improvement,” his doctors said Thursday, three days removed from suffering cardiac arrest during Monday’s game against the Bengals in Cincinnati.
Dr. Timothy Pritts and Dr. William Knight of the University of Cincinnati Medical Center addressed the media in the first statement from doctors and detailed Hamlin’s recovery as well as the road ahead.
“We would like to share that there has been substantial improvement in his condition over the past 24 hours,” Pritts said. “We had significant concern about him after the injury and after the event on the field and he is making substantial progress. As of this morning, he is beginning to awaken and it appears that his neurological conditional and function is intact.”
Still, Pritts said Hamlin, 24, “continues to be critically ill” and remains in the intensive care unit. His family remains by his side.
Knight noted that Hamlin has been on a “long and difficult road. He has been fairly sick and made a remarkable improvement. He’s demonstrating signs of recovery and improvement.”
Hamlin is still on a ventilator and cannot yet talk as a result. Pritts noted that Hamlin woke up Wednesday night and asked via writing whether the Bills won the game. The game was suspended.
Per Pritts, doctors responded to his question with the following: “The answer is yes. Damar, you won the game of life.”
Hamlin does, however, have movement in his hands and feet.
Thursday’s news is nothing short of positive considering there have been concerns he could have sustained a traumatic brain injury because of a lack of oxygen.
The doctors praised the medical staff of the Buffalo Bills for the work they did on the field to immediately recognize the severity of Hamlin’s condition and begin appropriate treatment, including CPR. He went into cardiac arrest after being involved in a tackle of Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. Hamlin rose to his feet, then collapsed a few seconds later.
“We cannot credit the Bills medical team enough,” Knight said. “It’s rare to have something this serious to happen and to recognize it so quickly.”
Bills offensive lineman Dion Dawkins took to social media to acknowledge Buffalo assistant athletic trainer Denny Kellington, who Dawkins said gave Hamlin CPR.
“Denny Kellington let’s praise this name and person for reviving Our Brother Damar on the field,” Dawkins wrote on Twitter. “Denny gave CPR and chest compressions to get his Heart Back Beating #DennyKellington And also thank you to all the doctors and Medical professionals that have helped and assisted.”
Per ESPN, Hamlin’s father, Mario, addressed the Bills in a Zoom call Wednesday to update the condition of his son. Mario Hamlin said he was making progress, and per the network, “the team needed (to hear it).”