Damar Hamlin Had One Question When He Woke Up & Doctors Gave Him The Most Touching Answer
Doctors say he has a long road to recovery.
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin. Right: Damar Hamlin's teammates showing their support during Hamlin's recovery.
Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin is awake and already inquiring about the rest of Monday night's game after he collapsed on the field and was rushed to hospital.
In a news conference on Thursday, the Buffalo Bills team said Hamlin woke up on Wednesday night and although he couldn't speak yet, the 24-year-old could communicate by writing. One of his first questions was who won Monday night's game.
The NFL team shared that along with the heartwarming response that doctors had for Hamlin.
"Damar Hamlin is now able to communicate through writing and asked the doctors who won the game Monday night," the Buffalo Bills shared on their Instagram page.
"The doctors answered, 'Yes, Damar, you won. You won the game of life,'" the post continued.
The NFL team and Hamlin's doctors held a news conference on Thursday, the first one since Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest during Monday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals and had to be resuscitated on the field.
According to the Associated Press, Dr. Timothy Pritts told reporters that Hamlin remains critically ill and is in the hospital's intensive care unit. Pritts added that Hamlin's neurological function is intact, meaning he can follow commands and move.
Dr. William Knight IV also credited the Buffalo Bills medical team for their quick response to save Hamlin's life on the field.
"It’s been a long and difficult road for the last three days. He [Hamlin] has made a pretty remarkable improvement," Knight said.
The doctors noted that Hamlin has a long road to recovery ahead of him, including breathing on his own.
The medical team is still performing tests to determine the exact cause of the cardiac arrest.
Following the update, Hamlin received a lot of support from celebs and fans online.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson tweeted he was inspired to hear that Hamlin was able to communicate again.
"Man it moves my soul that as he recovers he's now feeling all the love and mana sent his way," the Black Adam actor wrote.
\u201cSo inspired to hear the story of Damar Hamlin being able to communicate by writing, and wrote to the doctors, \u201cDid we win?\u201d \nAnd they respond with, \u201cYes, you won the game of life.\u201d\nMan it moves my soul that as he recovers he\u2019s now feeling all the love and mana sent his way. \u2764\ufe0f\ud83d\udcaa\ud83c\udffe\u201d— Dwayne Johnson (@Dwayne Johnson) 1672951653
U.S. President Joe Biden tweeted "great news" to the update on Hamlin's condition and added that he was praying for the athlete.
\u201cGreat news.\n\nDamar, like I told your mom and dad yesterday, Jill and I \u2013 along with all of America \u2013 are praying for you and your family.\u201d— President Biden (@President Biden) 1672942768
The NFL also tweeted pictures of get-well cards that kids at various Cincinnati schools made for Hamlin.
\u201cCincinnati schools are sending their love to Damar Hamlin. \u2764\ufe0f (via @meghanmongillo)\u201d— NFL (@NFL) 1672955638
Hamlin's Buffalo Bills team held their first practice of the week on Thursday and shared their love and support for Hamlin.
The team posted photos on Instagram of the players making heart signs with their hands and holding up three fingers, which is Hamlin's team number.
The team is scheduled to host the New England Patriots on Sunday.
Since Monday, many people have also turned to an old GoFundMe page that Hamlin set up back in 2020 to raise money to buy toys for kids at a daycare in Pennsylvania.
The campaign initially aimed to raise $2,500 and that goal has since been shattered. On Thursday it had raised over $7.4 million.
CNN reports Buffalo Bills' head coach Sean McDermott got emotional during Thursday's news conference when he spoke of all the support Hamlin has received and how much money has been raised for the campaign.
"It's amazing to know the impact that this has had on so many people, and for now Damar to be awake, and his mom to be able to share that [the money raised] with him is — incredible," McDermott said.