Damar Hamlin released from ICU, transferred to Buffalo for ‘next stage of recovery’

Damar Hamlin was released from a Cincinnati hospital Monday to return home to Buffalo, N.Y., where he will continue his recovery at Buffalo General Medical Center, one week after suffering cardiac arrest during the Bills' Monday Night Football game against the Bengals. Photo by John Sommers II/UPI

Jan. 9 (UPI) — Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin was released from a Cincinnati hospital Monday and returned home to Buffalo, N.Y., one week after suffering cardiac arrest during the team’s Monday Night Football game against the Bengals.

Hamlin, 24, confirmed the transfer, in a tweet Monday morning, to Buffalo General Medical Center in Buffalo, where he will continue to recover.

“Grateful for the awesome care I received at UCMC. Happy to be back in Buffalo. The docs and nurses at Buffalo General have already made me feel at home!” Hamlin tweeted Monday afternoon.

“Damar Hamlin has been released and returned to Buffalo,” Dr. William Knight IV, a professor of emergency medicine at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine announced.

“I traveled with him to the airport this morning with our UC Health air care and mobile care crew, including teammates who were with us on the field when Damar Hamlin collapsed,” Knight said.

Knight called Monday’s hospital transfer the “next stage of his recovery,” and said Hamlin’s care team in Cincinnati has been in constant contact with his doctors in Buffalo and can “confirm that he is doing well.”

On Friday, doctors removed Hamlin’s breathing tube and he walked his first lap, according to the Bills. The team has officially put Hamlin on its injured reserve list.

“He continues to progress remarkably in his recovery. His neurologic function remains intact and he has been able to talk to his family and care team,” the Bills said Friday.

One week ago, Hamlin’s heart stopped following a hit during the Bills’ game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. The team’s medical staff and paramedics spent 10 minutes working to resuscitate on the field before he was taken by ambulance to the hospital.

The game was suspended, and the NFL later announced it had been canceled.

On Sunday, both the Bills and the Bengals won their games. The Bills defeated the New England Patriots 35-23, while the Bengals topped the Baltimore Ravens 27-16.

Hamlin watched his teammates play from his hospital bed with his family and tweeted a photo, captioned “GAMETIME!”

 

Hamlin also watched the tributes to him and to the Bills’ medical and athletic training staffs before Sunday’s game. NFL players throughout the league wore Hamlin jerseys and pregame warmup shirts. After the Bills’ victory, Hamlin tweeted again “We all won.”

Headed home to Buffalo today with a lot of love on my heart,” Hamlin tweeted before leaving Cincinnati on Monday.

“Watching the world come together around me on Sunday was truly an amazing feeling. The same love you all have shown me is the same love that I plan to put back into the world and more. Bigger than football!”

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