What a horrific, horrible tragedy that could have been so much worse without the heroics of the medical personnel, staff, players, etc. In perhaps the most traumatic event in NFL history, Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest after a hit in the middle of the field, resulting in the suspension of the game.
I don’t even know how to put into words the emotions and sadness that comes from this situation.
For those who haven’t seen the game or the outpouring of support for Hamlin on social media immediately after the play, Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest after his heart was stopped by the blunt force trauma of tackling Bengals receiver Tee Higgins in a phenomenon known as cordis commotio.
Essentially, the freak accident is caused when an object (hockey puck, baseball, lacrosse ball, soft ball, human body at full force, etc.) with a tremendous amount of blunt force hits a person in the chest at the exact wrong moment of the natural heartbeat process (i.e.: the milliseconds between the heart ventricles “reset” to start off the next cycle) that stops the electrical cycle (the cycle that keeps your heart pumping) and puts you in cardiac arrest.
Go watch Dr. Brian Sutterer on YouTube if you want a more detailed and frankly better explanation than I can give as he’s not only a trained medical professional, but also far more knowledgeable on these subjects that I could ever be. I’ll leave a link below to his YouTube channel.
Nevertheless, the game was immediately stopped after Hamlin collapsed on the field as the Bills, Bengals, and NFL’s medical personnel administer life-saving CPR and defibrillation treatment while Hamlin’s teammates stood by his side to give him some support and block the thousands of cameras from filming the procedures.
It was the worst ever moment I’ve ever seen in an NFL game as players, staff, coaches, fans, the ESPN announcers, etc. were all visibly emotional, while ESPN/ABC cut to numerous commercial breaks during the 9 or so minutes Hamlin was getting CPR treatment. All I can honestly say is that it was brutal to watch, and unimaginably painful for Hamlin, his teammates, and family to have to endure.
I can’t imagine the sheer grief Hamlin’s mother, who was in the stands in Cincinnati, had to go through (and is still going through) as her son was literally fighting for his life playing the game he loves. It’s easy to brush off when players say that they will “give their lives” to help their team win as hyperbole, but last night proves such doubts to be foolish.
By a country mile, the NFL is the most dangerous sport in North America (if not the world) and the players who sacrifice everything to win for their teams, teammates, and the fans of their teams should be applauded and respected every day. Yes, football players should not be held in the same regard as the brave servicemen and servicewoman who defend us with their lives every day, but that doesn’t mean these players sacrifices should go unnoticed.
Anyway, I’m glad Hamlin had the overwhelming outpouring of support, love, and respect on social media and the world in general as he was a man who was quietly one of the most compassionate, caring, and loving NFL players’ I’ve ever seen.
Like many, I never knew that Damar Hamlin was not only donating toys and being a role model for the underprivileged kids in his native Pittsburgh community, but he also was doing it BEFORE he was drafted and paid by the Buffalo Bills. What a guy.
It’s awful when these things happen to anyone, regardless of how compassionate or callous they may be, but it is especially painful when it happens to someone who has been nothing but kind, compassionate, caring, and devoted to good in their young life.
Thankfully, the medical personnel on the field were able to resuscitate Hamlin long enough for the University of Cincinnati’s hospital team to bring back the 24-year-old’s vitals, though Hamlin still remains in critical condition as of the time I’m writing this.
So, let us all say a prayer for a safe and speedy recovery for Damar Hamlin and that he is able to play the game he loves and give back to the community he adores as soon as humanly possible.
God bless you, Damar Hamlin.
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