A medical emergency occurred on the field during Monday’s NFL game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals. Bills' safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field and went into cardiac arrest after executing a tackle against wide receiver Tee Higgins during the first quarter of the game.
Fans, players, and coaches watched in shock as first responders worked to restore his heartbeat. He was down for 15 minutes before being transferred to the hospital. The game was postponed indefinitely.
The Buffalo Bills issued a statement about this incident: "Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest following a hit in our game versus the Bengals. His heartbeat was restored on the field and he was transferred to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment. He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition."
The NFL also issued a statement about this incident. Its statement further explained the game’s postponement. “Tonight’s Buffalo Bills-Cincinnati Bengals game has been postponed after Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin collapsed, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced,” the statement began.
"Hamlin received immediate medical attention on the field by team and independent medical staff and local paramedics. He was then transported to a local hospital where he is in critical condition. Our thoughts are with Damar and the Buffalo Bills. We will provide more information as it becomes available. The NFL has been in constant communication with the NFL Players Association which is in agreement with postponing the game," the statement concluded.
Hamlin is 24 years old. He is a Pennsylvanian and was raised in McKees Rocks. His family is incredibly thankful for everyone's support and the hard work of the medical professionals.
“We want to express our sincere gratitude for the love and support shown to Damar during this challenging time. We also want to acknowledge the dedicated first responders and healthcare professionals at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center who have provided exceptional care to Damar,” his family said in a statement.
They added, “Please keep Damar in your prayers. We will release updates as soon as we have them.”
Many people have expressed their love for Hamlin and their well-wishes for his swift recovery. Patrick Mahomes, quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, wrote on Twitter, “Praying hard.. please be okay man. .”
“Please be ok man. Please be ok,” JJ Watt, defensive end for the Arizona Cardinals, wrote on Twitter.
Hamlin’s supporters even found an old GoFundMe from 2020 that was raising money for a toy drive. They started donating to it in his honor. Its initial goal was for $2,500, but it has currently far surpassed that and raised over $4.3 million.
