Damar Hamlin’s Doctor Says NFL Star Is Awake Days After Cardiac Arrest

Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest after a hit during the Buffalo Bills’ game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on Jan. 2. The NFL noted he received “immediate medical attention on the field by team and independent medical staff and local paramedics” after his collapse. Hamlin’s doctors praised the quick medical intervention following his on-field collapse. 

“It was promptly recognized by the Buffalo Bills’ medical staff and that allowed for a very immediate resuscitation on the field,” Knight, the Director of the Emergency Medicine MLP Program, said. “He was promptly resuscitated. It did require CPR and defibrillation, and at which point he was transported to University of Cincinnati Medical Center where he was met by Dr. Pritts and the trauma team as well as our Emergency Medicine colleagues. He was managed and resuscitated and worked up in the emergency department, had some additional tests in the ED and in the hospital and then has been managed in the surgical ICU.”

And when Knight was asked if the medical team could feel the prayers and support sent their and Hamlin’s way, he said they did.

“Have we felt it? Yeah,” he replied. “It doesn’t take long to look outside and see the lights, the blue and the red, around the city of Cincinnati, the support from local restaurants, the support from the fans and just people who are concerned. So yes, it’s been very powerful.”