Damar Hamlin, an American football star, suffered a heart attack during a primetime US National Football League game and is now in critical condition.
Damar Hamlin, 24, of the Buffalo Bills, tripped over an opponent and fell to the ground during the first quarter of the game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
He received more than 30 minutes of on-field medical care before being transported to a nearby hospital.
The NFL decided to call the game off for the evening about an hour after the incident.
The Buffalo Bills later issued a statement confirming the player’s cardiac arrest and stating that his heartbeat had been restored on the field.
The incident triggered a wave of support for Hamlin. It brought attention back to the dangers of America’s most popular sport as the NFL season approaches its dramatic play-off stages.
In Cincinnati, Ohio, Hamlin was marking Bengals receiver Tee Higgins when Higgins’ helmet appeared to strike Hamlin in the chest. He rose to his feet, then tripped and fell on his back.
Players from both teams crowded around Hamlin as medical personnel administered CPR and oxygen. Many were seen bowing in prayer, many were upset, and some were crying.
While the Cincinnati crowd remained silent throughout the incident, television coverage frequently cut away from the on-field action.
After the incident, Hamlin’s representative, Jordon Rooney, wrote on Twitter:
His vitals are back to normal and they have put him to sleep to put a breathing tube down his throat. They are currently running tests. We will provide updates as we have them.
NFL games are rarely canceled due to injury. According to the commentators, the fact that the game was halted demonstrated the gravity of the situation.
This year’s top Super Bowl contenders will meet again on a primetime Monday night in the following week of the NFL regular season.
It should be noted that while the blunt injury is common in contact sports, it rarely results in cardiac problems like this.
A direct blow to the chest can result in cardiopulmonary arrest. When this happens, the heart cannot pump blood properly throughout the body and eventually stops beating.
This is not the same as a heart attack, which occurs when the blood supply to the heart muscle is cut off.
In Hamlin’s case, medical personnel successfully revived his heartbeat almost immediately. It’s unclear what internal injuries he sustained due to the incident or whether his heart was seriously damaged.