What Happened to Damar Hamlin? From Crisis to Comeback!

By James Mercado On Nov 7, 2023

Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin is back on the field, practicing and getting ready for the fall football season. His coach, Sean McDermott, confirmed in July that he’s in good shape and ready to play.

Damar, who is 25 years old, had a very serious health scare back in January during a Monday Night Football game. His heart suddenly stopped, and he had to stay in the hospital in Buffalo for nine days. In April, he explained that a hard hit to his chest was the cause of his heart stopping. This condition is called ‘commotio cordis.’

During a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on January 2, 2023. he collapsed on the field. He was in critical condition and had to stay in the intensive care unit at the hospital for several days. But now, he’s back and determined to play football again.

What Happened to Damar Hamlin?

During the Monday Night Football game, a collision occurred. Bengals’ player, Tee Higgins, ran into Damar Hamlin, a 24-year-old safety from the Bills, with his helmet during the first quarter. Hamlin managed to bring Higgins down, but shortly after, he collapsed.

Medical staff attended to Hamlin on the field for about 19 minutes. They administered CPR and used a device called an automated external defibrillator to help his heart. He was then placed on a stretcher and taken away in an ambulance with oxygen.

The game between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals was postponed after this incident.

The Bills announced that Hamlin had experienced cardiac arrest, but they were able to restart his heart on the field. He was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center for more tests and treatment. He was in critical condition and had to be sedated.

Fans showed their support by gathering outside the hospital after Hamlin’s injury. They also donated millions of dollars to help Hamlin purchase Christmas toys for children in his hometown of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh.

Damar Hamlin spent last night in the intensive care unit and remains there today in critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

We are grateful and thankful for the outpouring of support we have received thus far.

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 3, 2023

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Damar Hamlin’s Battle With a Rare Commotio Cordis Illness

Commotio cordis is a rare condition that Damar Hamlin experienced. It’s when your heart goes into a strange rhythm because you get hit hard in the chest. This can happen, for example, when someone is hit by a ball during a game.

Dr. David Agus, a medical expert, explained that this condition causes the heart muscle to pump in a chaotic way. The force of the blow messes up the heart’s electrical signals, making it beat irregularly, which is called ventricular fibrillation.

In this state, the heart doesn’t pump blood properly to the brain. To fix this, a defibrillator is used to shock the heart back into a regular rhythm.

Dr. Agus also mentioned that every minute the brain doesn’t get enough blood makes it more likely that there will be severe consequences, even death. So, it’s crucial to act quickly.

There were concerns about whether Hamlin’s brain was affected when his heart stopped. The faster they could restart his heart, the better his chances of a quick recovery.

Hamlin’s uncle, Dorrian Glenn, expressed his gratitude for the support and prayers from people, saying that it has helped with Hamlin’s recovery. He believes that there’s a special purpose for Hamlin in life, and that’s why he’s still here.

How is Damar Hamlin’s Recovery Going?

Back in February, Hamlin set a goal to return to playing in the NFL. In April, he got the green light to rejoin practices, and that’s when he started working out with the team at their facility.

The Bills’ general manager, Brandon Beane, confirmed in April that he was “fully cleared” to rejoin the team and was in a good mental state for his comeback.

In May, he was back on the field with the team for some exercises and stretching during voluntary practices. He gradually started participating in full practice sessions.

Damar Hamlin’s Instagram Post:

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According to Beane in early June, Hamlin has been working hard not just physically, but mentally too. While he’s physically ready, getting back to tackling on the field will be the next big challenge.

Beane mentioned that Hamlin still has some more goals to achieve. He pointed out the remarkable progress from January when they were hoping he would survive to now, where they’re talking about him playing not just any football but NFL football.

The Bills’ head coach, McDermott, confirmed in late July that the 25-year-old would be fully participating in the team’s training camp at St. John Fisher University, as mentioned in a team message on Twitter.

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