CINCINNATI — Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin has made substantial improvements, doctors with UC Health said Thursday while providing an update.
Those doctors also noted that his "remarkable recovery" wouldn't necessarily have happened had it not been for the quick actions of the medical personnel on the field at Paycor Stadium.
"God forbid the next time something like this happens, it goes as well as it went in Cincinnati that day," Dr. Timothy Pritts said.
Pritts also said it's fair to say only a matter of a few seconds could have been a game changer.
"We cannot credit their team enough," Dr. William A. Knight said about the Buffalo Bills medical personnel.
At the 5:59 mark in the first quarter of the Bengals-Bills Monday Night Football matchup, Hamlin tackled Bengals receiver Tee Higgins. After the play, Hamlin stood up and collapsed onto the field in a matter of seconds.
Both doctors emphasized how a variety of medical personnel rushed onto the field in under a minute. WCPO sports anchor Marshall Kramsky said in all of his years as a reporter and athlete, he's never seen a stretcher brought so quickly onto the field.
The doctors said Hamlin's cardiac arrest was promptly recognized by the medical staff, which allowed for immediate resuscitation.
"(Everyone) meeting the standard of what we would expect in that scenario is what has led us to be able to discuss these good outcomes," Knight said.
The 24-year-old received CPR for several minutes, was intubated and also defibrillated on the field.
"It's critical that we do resuscitation at the scene of where a cardiac arrest is," Knight said.
Once Hamlin's respirations were being supported, Knight said he was transported via ambulance to UC Medical Center where he was met by a significant number of doctors, nurses and hospital staff.
A variety of tests have been, and continue to be run on Hamlin as he remains in critical condition in the ICU, Knight said.
"It's been a long and difficult road for the past three days," Knight said.
Thursday morning, Hamlin awoke from a medically induced coma. Though still on a breathing tube, he's communicating via pen and paper and had one question when he woke up: Who won the game?
Doctors said his neurological function is intact, and his lungs continue to recover as well. He's also been moving his hands and feet
"There are many, many steps still ahead of him," Pritts said.
Hamlin's father, Mario, thanked the first responders and medical staff who have helped his son in a statement Thursday morning, calling for people to donate to the UC Medical Center's trauma center or buy their local first responders lunch in support of Hamlin's care.
