Damar Hamlin has made significant progress in his recovery over the past two days, and doctors said the Buffalo Bills defensive back was able to begin communicating with them via writing on Wednesday night. One of his first questions was about the football game during which he suffered a cardiac arrest.
Dr. Timothy Pritts from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center on Thursday provided an update on Hamlin’s condition. Pritts said the 24-year-old has made “substantial improvement” over the past 24 hours and awoke on Wednesday night. Hamlin still has a breathing tube, but he was able to communicate with doctors in writing. Pritts said Hamlin asked who won Monday night’s game between the Bills and Cincinnati Bengals.
Doctors responded by telling Hamlin he “won the game of life.”
Video: After waking up Damar Hamlin was able to ask his doctors, “Did we win?”
The doctors told him, “Yes, you won the game of life.”
Amazing pic.twitter.com/Ib3a9J8Irq
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) January 5, 2023
Doctors added that they were encouraged by the question because it showed “not only that the lights are on, we know that he’s home.”
Hamlin also expressed surprise that he had been in intensive care and out of the world for two days.
Pritts did not rule out Hamlin returning to the way he was before the incident, but he said it is far too early to speculate on whether Hamlin will be able to play football again.
"The best outcome is back to who he was before this all happened."
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 5, 2023
Hamlin collapsed on the field following a collision in the first quarter Buffalo’s “Monday Night Football” game against the Bengals. He suffered a cardiac arrest and had his heartbeat restored by medical personnel at Paycor Stadium. Doctors clarified on Thursday that Hamlin initially had a pulse and lost it while surrounded by medical personnel, who administered CPR. The immediate action saved not only Hamlin’s life but also his neurological function.
Doctors are still investigating to determine the exact cause of Hamlin’s cardiac arrest.
