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Damar Hamlin’s recovery is moving in “a positive direction” two days after the Buffalo Bills safety collapsed and went into cardiac arrest during a game against Cincinnati.
“We all remain optimistic,” said Jordon Rooney, a spokesman who added he was unable to go into further detail on Hamlin’s status at the request of his family not to provide specifics.
They said he was expected to remain in intensive care as his medical team continued to monitor and treat him.
It comes as President Joe Biden reached out to Hamlin’s family, speaking to them ‘at length’.
Speaking to the media, Biden admitted “I think working on the helmets, the concussion protocols, that makes a lot of sense.
“I don’t know how you avoid it… It is dangerous. You’ve got to just acknowledge it.”
Rooney said Hamlin’s family was staying positive and buoyed by the outpouring of worldwide support the second-year Bills player has received since his heart stopped and he was resuscitated on the field before being loaded into an ambulance and transported the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
“They are elated right now,” Rooney said.
“Damar is still their first concern. But for them, they always look at how they can turn a somewhat troubling situation into a good one. The bounce back from this, for him and his family is going to be incredible.”
Rooney’s update came after Hamlin’s uncle, Dorrian Glenn, told numerous media outlets Tuesday night there were some encouraging signs in his nephew’s progress, such as doctors lowering the level of oxygen Hamlin needs from 100 per cent to 50 per cent.
Glenn also spoke to the NFL network about ‘the love and support’ his nephew has received.
“A lot of people don’t get a chance to see how loved they are while they’re alive, so for him to have a situation where he could have been taken away and he has a chance to come back and see all that love that he got, it’s truly an amazing thing and I can’t wait for him to see all the love and support that people have for him, not just around the area, but around the country and the world, it’s been amazing,” Glenn said.
Rooney also cleared up any confusion over the number of times Hamlin was resuscitated on the field, telling ESPN’s Coley Harvey that it was just once which he then shared on Twitter. He also tweeted that Hamlin’s father is ‘calling for any criticisms’ of Bengals WR Tee Higgins, the player his son tackled before he collapsed, ‘to STOP.’
The chilling scene of Hamlin’s collapse, which played out in front of a North American television audience on ESPN’s “Monday Night Football,” has put the NFL on hold, with the pivotal game suspended indefinitely.
Players and fans from across the NFL rallied to Hamlin’s support, with vigils held in Cincinnati and outside the Bills’ home stadium.
The shock of what happened also reverberated in Pittsburgh, where the 24-year-old Hamlin grew up and was determined to give back to those in need.
Hamlin was hurt in the first quarter when he was struck squarely in the chest while making what appeared to be routine tackle on Bengals receiver Tee Higgins. Hamlin briefly got up and adjusted his facemask before collapsing backwards.
Fans, players and NFL owners have been making donations to Hamlin’s Chasing M’s Foundation.
The foundation’s modest goal of raising $US2,500 ($A3,600) for a toy drive exceeded $US6.3 million ($A9.2 million) by noon on Wednesday.
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