Only a few days after Damar Hamlin’s scary on-field collapse, and amidst fears of lasting damages, the Buffalo Bills shared encouraging news about their safety. “Per the physicians at UCMC, Damar’s breathing tube was removed overnight. He continues to progress remarkably in his recovery,” the team posted on Twitter. “His neurologic function remains intact and he has been able to talk to his family and care team,” the tweet added. During a team meeting on January 6 — mere days after the January 2 incident, Bills coach Sean McDermott told the team he had an exciting surprise.
Hamlin called in via FaceTime from the hospital, and received a standing ovation from his teammates, coaches, and staff. Showing his determined spirit, Hamlin reportedly made a heart gesture with his hands and even flexed his biceps during the video call. “Amazing. Touching,” McDermott said in a press conference about the heartwarming moment with Hamlin, per the New York Post. “It was a pretty cool exchange for a few seconds there,” the head coach added. He also recalled how Hamlin spoke with his teammates and told them all, “love you boys,” The New York Times reported.
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Support continues to pour in for Hamlin. Even rivals in the NFL put aside on-the-field competition for the injured Hamlin, like when the Baltimore Ravens donated $10,003 to Hamlin’s The Chasing M’s Foundation for a community toy drive. In under a week, contributions reached more than $7.5 million for his charity.
