Before Super Bowl LVII kicked off, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin stood behind the end zone sporting a big smile, surrounded by the medical staff and first responders who saved his life after he went into cardiac arrest and collapsed during a game on Jan. 2.
Miles Sanders, the Eagles running back and Hamlin's childhood teammate, were among those who gave Hamlin a big hug on the sidelines of the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
In an interview airing on Fox during the Super Bowl pregame show, Hamlin told Michael Strahan that he'd felt "super normal" before the Jan. 2 game. When Strahan asked if he remembered the moments before his collapse, he declined to go into detail, saying, "That's something I'm still trying to work through. Why did it happen to me?" reports USA Today. But he did confirm that the first thing he asked when waking up was whether his team won the game.
The Super Bowl wasn't the first time Hamlin has made a public appearance since leaving the hospital. He was spotted cheering on his team against the Cincinnati Bengals in their rematch on Jan. 22. It was the first time the two teams played each other since Hamlin's collapse and subsequent hospitalization - and during his interview with Strahan, Hamlin noted that not being able to play made him feel "uneasy." In the end, the Bills lost to the Bengals, but Hamlin's recovery is a victory in itself.
The NFL Players Association medical director Thom Mayer has confirmed that Hamlin can play football again, and Hamlin seemed equally as invested in returning to the field. "Eventually. That's always the goal," he told Strahan, per NBC.
What Happened to Damar Hamlin, Exactly?
On Jan. 2, during the first quarter of a Bills game against the Bengals, Hamlin was hit in the chest by Bengals receiver Tee Higgins's helmet. Hamlin was initially able to get on his feet, but he then fell to the ground unconscious. Luckily, the medical team arrived quickly and restored his heartbeat with CPR before taking him off the field, but they believe he suffered cardiac arrest. The NFL and the NFL Players Association agreed to postpone the game.
Sudden cardiac arrest can be fatal within minutes. "The individual becomes unresponsive, with no normal breathing and no signs of circulation," Danielle Belardo, MD, preventive cardiologist, tells POPSUGAR. About 90 percent of people who suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrests die, according to the American Heart Association.
Cardiac arrest is different from a heart attack. Cardiac arrest is considered an "electrical issue" because it happens when rapid, abnormal impulses override your heart's natural rhythm, according to Cleveland Clinic. Conversely, a heart attack happens when a clogged artery disrupts blood flow and is often a common cause of cardiac arrest.
"Sudden cardiac arrest can be caused by a variety of different factors, and most often occurs in people with some form of underlying structural heart disease, most notably coronary artery disease, but other causes can be genetic, like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or acute triggers in individuals without underlying structural heart disease, such as commotio cordis," Dr. Belardo says.
While it's been confirmed that Hamlin went into cardiac arrest, per The New York Times, some health experts also speculated that it was commotio cordis. "Commotio cordis is a phenomenon in which a sudden blunt impact to the chest causes sudden death in the absence of cardiac damage," Dr. Belardo says. "This can be a relatively innocent chest wall impact, which results in an arrhythmia called ventricular fibrillation. Affected patients have no underlying heart disease and there is no structural damage to the chest wall, thoracic cavity, or the heart." In short, even someone who has no pre-existing conditions, genetic, or underlying structural heart abnormalities can have a sudden cardiac arrest after blunt force to the chest.
What is most important, Dr. Belardo says, is that Hamlin received CPR as soon as possible. "CPR, especially if performed immediately, can double or triple a cardiac arrest victim's chance of survival. This should reiterate the importance of anyone reading this to learn 'hands-only CPR,' because they could save someone's life one day," she says.
Hamlin's Recovery Timeline
After being resuscitated on the field due to cardiac arrest, Hamlin was immediately taken to an Ohio hospital where he was in critical condition. At the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Hamlin was sedated on a ventilator, "as doctors worked toward getting him to breathe on his own," per CNN. On Jan. 5, it was reported that Hamlin showed "signs of improvement," according to the Bills, and he began to wake up and communicate through writing, per the New York Times.
By Saturday, Jan. 7, Hamlin shared a statement on Instagram thanking everyone for their support. "When you put real love out into the world it comes back to you 3x's as much," he wrote in a post alongside a collection of photos of himself. "The Love has been overwhelming, but I'm thankful for every single person that prayed for me and reached out. We brung the world back together behind this. If you know me you know this only gone make me stronger. On a long road keep praying for me!"
The NFL player also shared a similar message on Twitter, writing, "Putting love into the world comes back 3xs as much . . . thankful for everyone who has reached out and prayed. This will make me stronger on the road to recovery, keep praying for me!" In a subsequent tweet, he added, "The love is felt, & extremely real. No matter race or religion everybody coming together in prayer!"
On Monday, Jan. 9, Hamlin was transferred from the Ohio hospital to a Buffalo hospital to finish out his recovery. And on Jan. 11, the Bills announced that Hamlin had been released. He was discharged from the Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute after completing a series of comprehensive medical evaluations, including cardiac, neurological, and vascular testing.
"We have completed a series of tests and evaluations, and in consultation with the team physicians, we are confident that Damar can be safely discharged to continue his rehabilitation at home and with the Bills," said Jamie Nadler, MD, critical-care physician and chief quality officer at Kaleida Health, in the team's statement.
Hamlin's Return to Football
Bills coach Sean McDermott told ESPN the timing of Hamlin's return to the team facility would be up to him. "His health is first and foremost on our mind as far as this situation," McDermott said. "And then when he feels ready, we will welcome him back."
While Hamlin seems to be on the road to improvement, Dr. William Knight IV of the University of Cincinnati Medical Center told reporters during a Jan. 5 press conference that it was "truly too early" to tell if he would make a full recovery - or return to professional football - according to The New York Times.
"We know that he's home and that it appears that all the cylinders are firing within his brain," said Timothy A. Pritts, MD, who also spoke at the press conference, per the Times. "Which is greatly gratifying for all of us for the nurses and respiratory therapists and caregivers as for his family and for everybody else beyond."
Fans, Players, and Pros in the Industry Rushed to Show Their Support
Since Hamlin's collapse and hospitalization, many people have taken to Twitter to share their support - regardless of team loyalty. "We are all Bills Mafia tonight, united in prayer for Damar Hamlin," tweeted journalist Tim Kephart. ESPN reporter and host Dianna Russini tweeted, "This is so delicate and emotional for entire organizations. Several NFL head coaches have been on the phone with each other sharing ideas on how to lead their teams . . . even coaches who are facing each other in a few days."
❤️💙 pic.twitter.com/yTZzQs0QAp
- Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 3, 2023
ESPN's Ryan Clark, Lisa Salters, and Scott Van Pelt are being praised for their coverage of Hamlin's critical condition. The NFL has a long history of serious injuries, but each of these reporters took the opportunity to reflect on what happened to Hamlin with a deep sense of humanity. "You realize this isn't normal. This isn't just football," Clark said on "SportsCenter." "You use the clichés 'I'm ready to die for this,' 'I'm willing to give my life for this,' sometimes we forget part of living this dream is putting your life at risk. Tonight we saw a side of football that is extremely ugly, that no one ever wants to see or admits it exists. This isn't about a football player, this is about a human."
Hamlin's family has been incredibly appreciative of the support. "On behalf of our family, we want to express our sincere gratitude for the love and support shown to Damar during this challenging time," one of their statements read, as shared by friend and marketing representative Jordan Rooney. "We are deeply moved by the prayers, kind words, and donations from fans around the country."