Damar Hamlin suffered a terrifying cardiac arrest during an NFL game at the start of the year, and the cause of the medical emergency has since been revealed.
The 25-year-old NFL star was playing for the Buffalo Bills and went into a routine tackle on January 2 against Cincinnati Bengals' wide receiver Tee Higgins.
Hamlin got to his feet following the challenge but collapsed a few seconds later and had to be revived on the field before being transported to the hospital.
He was placed on a ventilator in the hospital and thankfully made a miraculous recovery, meaning he was discharged and even made an appearance at the Super Bowl.
The cause of the cardiac arrest has since been revealed as commotio cordis, and Hamlin took part in a press conference where he explained what that means.
"It's a direct blow at a specific point in your heartbeat that causes cardiac arrest," Hamlin said on Tuesday (April 18), via the Daily Mail. "Five to seven seconds later, you fall out and that's pretty much what everyone was seeing January 2 of this year."
The NFL star now hopes to raise awareness about the condition. "Commotio cordis is the leading cause of death in youth athletes across all sports," he said. "So that's something I will personally be taking a step in to make a change."
There are around 30 cases each year, with the American Heart Association stating: "Commotio cordis is an extremely rare, serious medical condition that can happen after a sudden, blunt impact to the chest. If the physical blow hits during a narrow window in the heart rhythm, it can disrupt the heartbeat and cause sudden cardiac arrest."
The AHA continued: "This condition is most common in young male athletes. It is frequently caused by baseballs, softballs, lacrosse balls, hockey pucks, or physical contact from other athletes."
The National Institute of Health reports that men are more likely to encounter the condition, with Black people facing a survival rate of 4% as opposed to the 33% chance for White people.
This could be a result of a delayed rate of resuscitation, and Hamlin has been using his platform to spread awareness of the importance of defibrillators.
"It's really been wonderful to see the world see the good that I was trying to do, even before the notoriety," Hamlin said. "For that to be acknowledged, it was just a wonderful feeling. Now, with my foundation, through the roof, I plan to save a generation and generations that come."
The 25-year-old has since been given the green light to return to the sport, and he has attended voluntary workouts with the Buffalo Bills.
"My heart is still in the game. I love the game. It is something I want to prove to myself, not nobody else," Hamlin said via ESPN. "I just wanna show people that that fear is a choice that you can keep going in something without having the answers and without knowing what's at the end of the tunnel."
We wish Hamlin all the best as he returns to the NFL.
