In just one week, Damar Hamlin went from fears for his survival to being discharged from hospital in Cincinnati, following a traumatic on-field cardiac arrest last Monday (January 2).
The Buffalo Bills safety had undertaken a routine tackle during his team's Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
However, when Hamlin stood up from the tackle against Bengals' wide receiver Tee Higgins, he began swaying, before eventually collapsing to the ground.
As previously reported, ambulances rushed to the scene and were on the field administering CPR to the 24-year-old within just five minutes. Players and coaches from both teams knelt around Hamlin, praying for his recovery. It was an emotional evening, with coaches, teammates, reporters, and fans fighting back tears for the NFL star.
He had required CPR on the field as well as for a second time in hospital, before being stabilized and having his breathing supported mechanically.
Shortly following the incident, Hamlin's family released a statement thanking the speedy medical professionals who came to his aid, writing: "On behalf of our family, we want to express our sincere gratitude for the love and support shown to Damar during this challenging time. We are deeply moved by the prayers, kind words, and donations from fans around the country.
"We also want to acknowledge the dedicated first responders and healthcare professionals at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center who have provided exceptional care to Damar. We feel so blessed to be part of the Buffalo Bills organization and to have their support. We also want to thank Coach Taylor and the Bengals for everything they've done. Your generosity and compassion mean the world to us. Please keep Damar in your prayers. We will release updates as soon as we have them," the statement concluded, per ESPN.
The evening after, Hamlin's uncle Dorrian Glenn told The Daily Mail reporters outside the hospital that his nephew's ventilator had been reduced from 100% to 50%, saying: "Right now they're just trying to get him to breathe better. Right now he's on a ventilator just to help with the breathing.
"He's got a bit of lung damage from yesterday, but he was at 100 percent on the ventilator helping him breathe, but now he's at 50 percent, so that's a good thing. Like I said, we're just going to take it day by day. I'm grateful for all the prayers and support."
Fortunately, the news on Hamlin's condition has only become more positive, after it was revealed just hours ago that he was discharged from hospital in Cincinnati - exactly one week after his terrifying collapse. The young star took to Twitter to share the news and express his gratitude for all the support he received in the past week.
"Headed home to Buffalo today with a lot of love on my heart [...] Watching the world come together around me on Sunday was truly an amazing feeling. The same love you all have shown me is the same love that I plan to put back into the world n more. Bigger than football! [sic]", he wrote.
After arriving in Buffalo, it was revealed that Hamlin has checked into Buffalo General to continue treatment, as he wrote: "Grateful for the awesome care I received at UCMC. Happy to be back in Buffalo. The docs and nurses at Buffalo General have already made me feel at home!"
Everything seems to be headed in the right direction for Hamlin - and our thoughts are with him as he continues with his recovery.
