Damar Hamlin family ‘deeply moved’ by support after Bills player’s collapse

The family of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin said on Tuesday that it is “deeply moved” by the support it has received since Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest during the team’s “Monday Night Football” game against the Cincinnati Bengals. 

“On behalf of our family, we want to express our sincere gratitude for the love and support shown to Damar during this challenging time,” the Hamlin family said in a statement through representative and close friend Jordon Rooney. “We are deeply moved by the prayers, kind words, and donations from fans around the country.” 

The family also thanked the first responders and medical professionals at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center for providing “exceptional care” to the athlete as well as the Bills and Bengals organizations.

“Your generosity and compassion mean the world to us,” the family added. “Please keep Damar in your prayers. We will release updates as soon as we have them.” 

The family’s statement comes after Hamlin, who was drafted in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL draft, collapsed and suffered a cardiac arrest after tackling Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins during the first quarter of Monday’s game.

The 24-year-old safety stood up after the play was over, only to fall to the ground a few seconds later. The game was postponed, and medical authorities administered CPR on the field before he was taken to a local medical facility by ambulance. 

In a tweet, the Bills said Hamlin, a former University of Pittsburgh product, was “currently sedated and listed in critical condition” at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center after being taken to the facility to undergo further testing and treatment. 

The Bills-Bengals contest was postponed due to Hamlin’s injury, with players and coaches on both teams visibly shaken by it. 

In response to the incident, fans have raised more than $4.1 million for Hamlin’s charitable foundation and its current initiative, the Chasing M’s Foundation Community Toy Drive, through the foundation’s GoFundMe page. 

In a separate statement, Bengals owner Mike Brown expressed his thoughts and prayers to Hamlin and his family, saying that “humanity and love rose to the forefront” during the incident. 

“As medical personnel undertook extraordinary measures, both teams demonstrated respect and compassion while fans in the stadium and people around the country bolstered the support for Damar and love for each other,” Brown said in his statement on Tuesday. “The Bengals are thankful for the love and compassion shown by all. Praying for Damar.”