Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is home.
The team said Hamlin, who went into cardiac arrest during the Bills’ Week 17 game against the Cincinnati Bengals, was discharged Wednesday from Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute.
In the immediate aftermath of the injury, he was treated in the intensive care unit at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. He was admitted to the Buffalo hospital on Monday and underwent a “comprehensive medical evaluation as well as a series of cardiac, neurological and vascular testing on Tuesday.”
Bills head coach Sean McDermott said Wednesday the team celebrated the news before beginning preparation for Sunday’s wild-card game with the Miami Dolphins.
“We’re grateful that he’s home — his health is first and foremost on our mind,” McDermott said. “When he feels ready, we welcome him back.”
Hamlin’s medical team in Buffalo determined he no longer needed to be hospitalized.
“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 Dr. Jamie Nadler, a critical care physician who is leading Hamlin’s medical team.
An amazing Damar Hamlin update. ???? pic.twitter.com/GyP2uDQry0
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 11, 2023
Despite a grim situation on the field in Cincinnati, Hamlin, 24, recovered rapidly, advancing from being on a ventilator to communicating via written message, then breathing on his own and talking to family, doctors and teammates within a week. On Friday he began walking, and over the weekend, he began consuming a regular diet, UCMC announced.
Life-saving procedures performed by Bills trainers on the field in Cincinnati during the first quarter of the Jan. 2 game helped Hamlin reach intensive care at UCMC last week. He required CPR and use of a defibrillator moments after making a tackle with 5:58 left in the first quarter.
On Sunday, as Hamlin watched NFL action from his hospital bed, teams honored him by wearing his number on T-shirts during pregame warmups. Stadiums also shared teams’ support on their message boards.
–Field Level Media
