Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin was taken to the hospital after suffering cardiac arrest and being administered CPR on the field during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals last night.
The 24-year-old is currently sedated and in critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and awaits further testing and treatment, according to a statement released by the Bills on Tuesday morning. The NFL and the NFL Players Association agreed to postpone the game.
But what exactly happened to Hamlin? During the first quarter at the 5:58 mark, per CBS, Hamlin was hit in the chest by Bengals receiver Tee Higgins’s helmet after Higgins caught a pass from Joe Burrow. Hamlin was initially able to get on his feet, but he then fell to the ground unconscious. Sudden cardiac arrest can be fatal within minutes, because once the heart stops pumping blood, you become unconscious with no pulse. Luckily the medical team arrived quickly and were able to restore his heartbeat with CPR before taking him off the field.
While it’s been confirmed that Hamlin went into cardiac arrest, per The New York Times, some health experts have also speculated commotio cordis because it typically involves young athletes who experience a sudden, blunt trauma to the chest. It often results in cardiac arrest and sudden death from inadequate heartbeat, according to the Korey Stringer Institute.
Cardiac arrest is different from a heart attack. Cardiac arrest is considered an electrical issue because it happens when rapid, abnormal impulses override your heart’s natural rhythm, according to Cleveland Clinic. A heart attack happens when a clogged artery disrupts blood flow and is often a common cause of cardiac arrest.
Many took to Twitter to share their support — regardless of team loyalty. “We are all Bills Mafia tonight, united in prayer for Damar Hamlin,” tweeted journalist Tim Kephart. ESPN reporter and host Dianna Russini tweeted, “This is so delicate and emotional for entire organizations. Several NFL head coaches have been on the phone with each other sharing ideas on how to lead their teams . . . even coaches who are facing each other in a few days.”
❤️💙 pic.twitter.com/yTZzQs0QAp
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 3, 2023
ESPN’s Ryan Clark, Lisa Salters, and Scott Van Pelt are being praised for their coverage of Hamlin’s critical condition. The NFL has a long history of serious injuries, but each of these reporters took the opportunity to present the humanity about what happened to Hamlin. “You realize this isn’t normal. This isn’t just football,” Clark said on “SportsCenter.” “You use the clichés ‘I’m ready to die for this,’ ‘I’m willing to give my life for this,’ sometimes we forget part of living this dream is putting your life at risk. Tonight we saw a side of football that is extremely ugly, that no one ever wants to see or admits it exists. This isn’t about a football player, this is about a human.”
Hamlin’s family have since released a statement thanking everyone for their love and support. “On behalf of our family, we want to express our sincere gratitude for the love and support shown to Damar during this challenging time,” the statement reads, as shared by friend and marketing representative Jordan Rooney. “We are deeply moved by the prayers, kind words, and donations from fans around the country.” The family also asked people to keep Hamlin in their prayers, adding that they will release updates as they have them.
Image Sources: Kirk Irwin / Stringer / Getty and Isaiah Vazquez / Contributor / Getty