CNN
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Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin has been fired from a medical center in Buffalo, his club said On Wednesday, he was hospitalized for a cardiac arrest after more than a week this month during a game of ‘Monday Night Football’.
Bills Safety, 24, showed signs of accelerated improvement in the days leading up to his release from New York’s Buffalo General Medical Center, hospital officials said.
“We have completed a series of tests and evaluations and in consultation with the team doctors, we are confident that Damar can be safely discharged to continue his rehabilitation at home and with the Bills,” said a physician who directs Hamlin’s care in Buffalo, Dr. Jamie Nadler, said in a statement that the accounts were released on Twitter on Wednesday.
Hamlin was initially hospitalized in Cincinnati when his heart suddenly stopped following a tackle during a game against the host Cincinnati Bengals on January 2, but was transferred to the Buffalo facility on Monday after doctors determined his critical condition had improved enough for the move.
Doctors at Buffalo Hospital were trying to determine why Hamlin suffered the cardiac arrest, said Kaleida Health, the group of hospitals that includes Buffalo Medical Center, before his discharge. That included whether pre-existing circumstances played a role in the event, which shocked many across the country and led to a huge outpouring of support for the sophomore NFL player.
On Tuesday, Hamlin underwent “an extensive medical evaluation and a battery of cardiac, neurological and vascular tests,” the Bills said on Twitter.
No cause of Hamlin’s cardiac arrest has been publicly announced.
“Special thanks to Buffalo General, it’s been nothing but love since arriving! Please keep me in your prayers!” Hamlin tweeted Tuesday.
It will be up to Hamlin to decide when he will be back with the team while he recovers, Bills coach Sean McDermott said Wednesday.
“First of all, thankful that he’s home with his parents and his brother, which is great,” McDermott told reporters on Wednesday. prepared to host the Miami Dolphins for a Sunday playoff game. No timetable for Hamlin’s return to professional football has been announced.
“We leave (if he is with the team) to him. His health is first and foremost on our mind regarding his situation and when he feels ready we welcome him back,” McDermott said.
While in critical condition in Cincinnati, Hamlin was sedated and kept on a ventilator for several days. On Friday morning, the breathing tube was removed and Hamlin began walking with some assistance by that afternoon, his doctors said Monday.
The health care team focused on stabilizing Hamlin and on Monday improved his condition as his organ systems were stable and he no longer required intensive nursing or respiratory therapy, doctors said.
“He’s definitely on what we consider to be a very normal to even accelerated trajectory from the life-threatening event he underwent,” said Dr. Timothy Pritts, chief of surgery at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, earlier this week. “He’s making great progress.”
Normal recovery from cardiac arrest can be measured in weeks to months, Pritts said Monday. Hamlin had beaten that timeline at every stage and is neurologically intact.
When Hamlin collapsed seconds after an open-field tackle against a Bengals wide receiver, medical personnel rushed onto the field and quickly administered CPR—which helped save his life.
Hamlin’s heart had stopped and medical workers revived it twice before putting him in an ambulance and taking him to the hospital. The immediate actions of medical personnel were essential to “saving not only his life, but also his neurological function,” Pritts said.
The horrific scene of Hamlin suddenly falling onto his back after getting up from the tackle upset his teammates, the other players and millions of watching fans.
The game was initially postponed and later canceled by the NFL — a decision that several former football players said signaled a shift in the prioritization of players’ mental and physical health.
Now the Bills organization is encouraging people to learn the critical, life-saving skill of administering CPR.
The team has pledged support for resources including CPR certifications, automated external defibrillator units and guidance for developing cardiac emergency response plans within the Buffalo community, according to the statement. “We encourage all of our fans to continue to show your support and take the next step by earning CPR certification,” said the Bills.
