Damar Hamlin remains sedated on a ventilator, family member says

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is on a ventilator and remains in critical condition in a Cincinnati hospital, his uncle said, after the 24-year-old collapsed and suffered a cardiac arrest on the field during Monday night's game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Dorrian Glenn, the player's uncle, said in an interview with CNN on Jan. 3 doctors have Hamlin sedated and "flipped on his stomach" to help with the blood in his lungs.

"He’s still sedated right now, they just want him to recover better," Glenn said. "It’s just heartbreaking seeing him like that."

Hamlin tackled Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins during ESPN's "Monday Night Football" game, stood up and then fell over on his back.

The Bills said in a statement Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest, and that medical personnel were able to restore the player's heartbeat while on the field. Members of the Bills and the Bengals were visibly distraught during the incident.

Glenn told CNN on Tuesday night Hamlin had to be resuscitated twice, the first time on the field, and the second while he was transferred to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

Jordon Rooney, a friend of Hamlin's who was speaking on the family's behalf, said in an interview with NBC News on Wednesday that Glenn misspoke, and that Hamlin was only resuscitated once at the stadium.

In the same interview, Rooney told NBC News' Maggie Vespa that Hamlin was making positive progress, but he had a long road to recovery.

The Bills said in a statement on Jan. 3 Hamlin remains hospitalized in the intensive care unit in critical condition.

"He is expected to remain under intensive care as his health care team continues to monitor and treat him," the team said in another update on Jan. 4.

"I’m not a crier, but I’ve never cried so hard in my life," Glenn told CNN. "Just to know, like, my nephew basically died on the field and they brought him back to life."

"It seems like he’s trending upwards in a positive way," Glenn added.

The University of Cincinnati Medical Center has not provided any updates on Hamlin's condition, according to NBC Sports, but some medical experts are discussing commotio cordis as a possible cause.

The name is Latin for "agitation of the heart," NBC News senior medical correspondent Dr. John Torres said on TODAY. The condition occurs when a person gets hit in the chest with a certain amount of force at a very specific time in the heart cycle, when the electricity is flowing from one side of the heart to the other.

"Then that can trigger cardiac arrest ... It can be a lethal condition," Torres said.

Hamlin's family thanked fans for their support and asked for prayers in a statement on Jan. 3.

"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 statement said. "We are deeply moved by the prayers, kind words, and donations from fans around the country."

Fans rushed to donate to Hamlin's community toy drive the player organized in 2020 to provide children in need with toys during the Covid-19 pandemic. The fundraiser, which isn't related to Hamlin's medical incident, has collected more than $6 million.

The NFL said in a statement on Jan. 3 it would not resume the Bills-Bengals game this week, and that the league has not made a decision on if it will resume the game at a later date.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com