By Rory Carroll
(Reuters) – Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is beginning to learn about the massive outpouring of prayers and support he has received since suffering a cardiac arrest during an NFL game on Monday night in Cincinnati, his doctors said on Thursday.
The football community and well beyond has rallied around the amiable 24-year-old, who has been able to communicate in writing in an excellent sign for his neurological condition, the doctors said. He remains on a ventilator to assist his breathing.
“He’s learning it today,” Dr. Timothy Pritts of the University of Cincinnati Medical Center said at a news conference, when asked by reporters if Hamlin was aware of the massive support aimed his way.
“He expressed surprise that he had not been with the world for two days,” Pritts added. “We’ve talked to him about all the support that’s been given to him from Cincinnati, Buffalo and really across the country for him and his family during this time.”
After making a tackle in the first quarter of the nationally televised game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Hamlin stood up, took a few steps and collapsed on his back.
Medical staff rushed to the field and performed CPR to restore Hamlin’s heartbeat before he was taken away by ambulance as players from both teams and millions of television viewers looked on in horror.
With people wanting to do something, donations to an online toy drive fundraiser Hamlin launched in December 2020 have skyrocketed since the incident, raising nearly $7.46 million as of Thursday on 227,500 donations. Its original target was $2,500.
“There’s going to be a lot of toys for him to buy when he recovers,” Pritts said.
The medical staff at the hospital and Hamlin’s family have also been lifted by the support, his doctors said.
“All I have to do is look over my left shoulder and I see vigils, posters and well wishers and the food that has shown up at the hospital,” Dr. William Knight said.
“It doesn’t take long to look outside and see the blue and the red lights around the city of Cincinnati,” referring to the Bills’ team colors. “It has been very powerful.”
The doctors also praised Hamlin’s family, some of whom rode with him from the stadium to the hospital and have been by his side ever since.
“Damar’s family has been wonderful,” Pritts said, adding that hugs have been exchanged and tears have been shed in the hospital over the progress that has been made so far.
“They’ve been great throughout the entire stay,” he said.
Knight said Hamlin was still critically ill and remained in the intensive care unit, adding that the focus was on getting him off the ventilator “and on the road to recovery.”
(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
