Less than a week after he suffered cardiac arrest and collapsed on the field, Bills safety Damar Hamlin was released from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and has been transferred to a hospital in Buffalo.
Hamlin’s doctors at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center said Monday afternoon that the 24-year-old was moved to a hospital in Buffalo after having been discharged that morning.
“Mr. Hamlin has been released and returned to Buffalo,” Dr. William Knight said in a statement. “I traveled with him to the airport this morning with our UC Health air care and mobile care crew, including teammates who were with us on the field when Mr. Hamlin collapsed.”
“Headed home to Buffalo today with a lot of love on my heart,” Hamlin said in a tweet. “Watching the world come together around me on Sunday was truly an amazing feeling.”
Hamlin went into cardiac arrest last Monday night in the Bills’ game against the Cincinnati Bengals. After tackling Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins, Hamlin briefly stood up and then suddenly fell to the ground. He was resuscitated on the field as his teammates surrounded him, and he was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance that made the unusual move of driving directly onto the field.
He was in critical condition in the ICU for several days, but he was awakened Wednesday night and spoke to his teammates Friday. He watched Buffalo’s 35-23 win over New England from his hospital bed Sunday and saw teammate Nyheim Hines return two kickoffs for touchdowns in the triumph. The Bills wore No. 3 patches on their jerseys in the win.
“The same love you all have shown me is the same love that I plan to put back into the world n more,” Hamlin tweeted Monday.
Before he was released, the most recent update from doctors was that his neurological function was “excellent.”
Hamlin has been walking since Friday, his doctors said, as well as eating regular food. He is still weeks or months away from a full recovery.
“We continue to be ecstatic about his recovery,” Dr. Timothy Pritts said.
• This story is based in part on wire service reports.
• Jacob Calvin Meyer can be reached at jmeyer@washingtontimes.com.
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