The uncle of Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin revealed that he needed to be resuscitated twice after he collapsed during the Bills’ game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday.
Dorrian Glenn told CNN in an interview that Hamlin needed to be resuscitated first on the field and a second time at the hospital after his heart stopped. He said it was “heartbreaking” to see him like that while Glenn was watching the game.
“I’m not a crier, but I’ve never cried so hard in my life. Just to know like my nephew basically died on the field and they brought him back to life,” he said.
Glenn said Hamlin was sedated at the hospital to give him a better chance to recover, but he did receive some damage to his lungs. A ventilator is helping with his breathing.
He told NFL Network in an interview that medical staff are trying to get him to breathe on his own.
Hamlin has reportedly improved to only requiring 50 percent oxygen from the ventilator instead of 100 percent.
Glenn praised the medical staff at the hospital in the CNN interview, saying that Hamlin would likely not still be alive if not for them.
“I’m just glad he’s still alive and able to fight and trying to get better and recover,” he said.
Hamlin collapsed on the field during the first quarter of the Monday Night Football game in Cincinnati. He tackled a Bengals player during one play and immediately got up, but fell to the ground a few seconds later.
He received CPR on the field before being taken in an ambulance off the field and to the hospital.
The NFL postponed the game about an hour after the incident and announced on Tuesday that the game will not be continued this week. The league has not indicated when it might happen.
Fans have widely supported Hamlin’s fundraiser for a toy drive for his community, donating a total of more than $6 million, well above the $2,500 goal.
A description on the GoFundMe page states that the fund has received renewed attention in light of Hamlin’s situation.
“Your generosity and compassion mean the world to us. If you would like to show your support and contribute to Damar’s community initiatives and his current fight, this is the place to do so,” it states.