What Happened to Damar Hamlin?

During Monday Night Football, on January 2, Damar Hamlin lay unconscious on the field for more than 10 minutes before being transported to a Cincinnati area hospital. Bills’ Mafia and the entire nation were in shock. But what really happened to Damar Hamlin?

Many people prayed for Hamlin and millions of dollars were donated to his charity. In the month following his injury, fans have followed the rollercoaster of his recovery. Here is what has happened to Damar Hamlin.

What Was Damar Hamlin’s Injury?

Just as the Buffalo Bills bucked adversity during the season, in one game Hamlin made a very routine tackle and the oncoming player’s helmet collided with Hamlin’s chest. The specific way that the hit happened caused Hamlin to go into cardiac arrest. 

Hamlin’s heart had stopped beating, but thanks to the quick response of the Buffalo Bills’ medical staff, his breathing had been restored by the time he was moved into the ambulance. 

What Exactly Happened to Damar Hamlin?

Doctors believe that what happened to Hamlin is a condition called commotio cordis. This is a very rare situation when an otherwise healthy heart stops beating due to a low chest wall impact. 

Since Hamlin was healthy when this occurred and is continuing proper medical treatment, most doctors believe he should be able to recover well from this incident.

Is He Still in the Hospital?

On January 5, just three days after his life-threatening injury, we learned that Hamlin had made substantial progress and would recover with time and further medical treatment. 

Seven days after he went into cardiac arrest, Hamlin was released from the hospital in Cincinnati and was able to return to Buffalo for further medical treatments and testing. 

On January 11, he was discharged from the hospital in Buffalo to continue treatment at home and under the guidance of team doctors. 

Where is Damar Hamlin Today?

The day after leaving the hospital, Hamlin FaceTimed with his team and expressed his love for them. The next day he posted his gratitude to everyone on social media. On January 14, the world watched in amazement as Hamlin returned to team facilities to visit with his teammates. 

On February 2, Hamlin spoke for the first time publicly since the incident on Monday Night Football. He spoke from the heart in an Instagram post, expressing his love and gratitude to the Bills, the fans, and well-wishers worldwide. 

Damar Hamlin Partners with American Heart Association

Damar Hamlin has announced that he will be partnering with the American Heart Association.

Hamlin cited how CPR had saved his life on the field in his Instagram post announcing the partnership. He will be supporting an initiative called Damar Hamlin’s Three for Heart CPR Challenge. 

It is a three-step challenge that involves watching an informational video on hands-only CPR, donating to the American Heart Association, and then challenging three friends to do the same. Hamlin personally challenged Lebron James, Michelle Obama, and Tom Brady. 

We Love Bills’ Mafia Too

The Winslow is a Buffalo Bills bar in NYC, and like Damar Hamlin, we love the Bills’ Mafia. We look forward watching the Bills go all the way next season – Bills Mafia, welcome to The Winslow.

Don’t miss watching the Super Bowl here on February 12 and be sure to come watch all of the Bills games next season.