Photo: Getty Images
Damar Hamlin's uncle has revealed that the Buffalo Bills safety has needed to be resuscitated twice since his collapse during Monday (January 2) night's game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
All eyes are on Hamlin's recovery after the 24-year-old safety collapsed on-field Monday night following a tackle on Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. Hamlin was on his feet after the tackle, but seconds later, he fell to the ground on his back.
Medical personnel administered CPR on the field and were able to revive his heartbeat almost immediately after the collapse. The Bills later said Hamlin's collapse was due to cardiac arrest and that their safety was in critical condition at a Cincinnati hospital.
Dorrian Glenn, Hamlin's uncle, told CNN on Tuesday (January 3) night that his nephew's heart stopped a second time after he arrived at the hospital. Medical personnel were again able to resuscitate Hamlin, but he remains sedated as of late, Glenn said.
"He's still sedated right now," he said. "They just want him to have a better chance of recovering better. So, they felt if he was sedated, his body can recover a lot faster than if he was awoke and possibly cause other complications."
Though Hamlin has suffered lung damage, he is using 50 percent of a ventilator now, so the family is optimistic he will be able to breathe on his own, Glenn added. Doctors have positioned the safety on his stomach to relieve pressure on his lungs.
"I just want to show my gratitude for the medical staff that were on hand," he continued, "because if not for them, my nephew probably wouldn't even be here."
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