Buffalo Bills Speak for the First Time Since Hamlin’s Collapse
For three days, the world waited in anticipation and with high hopes that 24-year-old Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin would show signs of improvement following his terrifying on-field collapse during the first quarter of Monday night's football game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Thursday evening, the world let out its collective breath as reports surfaced that Hamlin has woken up. Doctors at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center announced that Hamlin was also showing "substantial improvement."
Hamlin is still considered to be critically ill and has a long road to recovery, but one of the doctors said that Hamlin appears to be "neurologically intact" and that while he is unable to speak, he can move his hands and feet and is also able to communicate through writing.
Despite what happened to him, Hamlin was concerned for his team and asked who won the game on Monday night. The doctor answered him by saying, "You did. You won the game of life."
Following Hamlin's collapse, the Monday night game was postponed, however, the NFL has since announced that the game will not resume.
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The NFL said that resuming the game would have resulted in having to postpone playoffs which affect all 14 teams to qualify. The NLF also noted that the game has no bearing on playoff qualification, only on potential seeding.
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott, quarterback Josh Allen, cornerback Dane Jackson and center Mitch Morse spoke publicly for the first time on Thursday since Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest.
The men discussed their sense of relief that Hamlin has woken up as well as the optimism they have for his healing. The men also talked about the emotions and level of fear they felt after seeing their teammate in such a critical state on the field.
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Meanwhile, donations continue to pour into the GoFundMe donation page for Hamlin's Chasin M's Foundation which aims to raise money to buy toys for children in need. At the time of this publication, more than $7 million dollars has been donated.