Damar Hamlin's family releases statement on outpouring of support

In the first 14 hours since Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed and required CPR on the field during Monday Night Football, updates on his condition were — understandably — scarce. But there’s been a great outpouring of support for the former Pitt star, and Hamlin’s family expressed its gratitude in a statement Tuesday.

Hamlin went into cardiac arrest during the first quarter of Monday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals and the game was suspended as a result. He went to University of Cincinnati Medical Center in critical condition, the Bills announced overnight.

In its first statement since Hamlin’s injury, his family thanked the many people who’ve supported him.

“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 read. “We are deeply moved by the prayers, kind words, and donations from fans around the country. We also want to acknowledge the dedicated first responders and healthcare professionals at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center who have provided exceptional care to Damar. We feel so blessed to be part of the Buffalo Bills organization and to have their support. We also want to thank Coach Taylor and the Bengals for everything they’ve done.

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

After Hamlin suffered the injury, fans found a GoFundMe for a toy drive he sponsors with an initial goal of $2,500. As of publication, it has raised more than $4 million.

More on Damar Hamlin’s injury

Hamlin exited Monday night’s game with injury via ambulance in a terrifying moment for players and fans. He appeared to be injured on a tackle he made in the first quarter that ended with him getting back up to his feet seemingly okay after the play.

Quickly afterward, Hamlin stumbled and collapsed on the field — leading to a lengthy break in the game as he was attended to by medical staff with players surrounding him.

The broadcast returned during the break several times during the horrific moment, and players appeared to be in distress from what was happening on the field. The broadcast provided a small update to the situation, indicating that medical staff was performing CPR on Hamlin.

After another extended break during the broadcast as medical staff continued to work on Hamlin, another small update indicated that he had been successfully placed on a backboard and stretcher, but had not yet been fully taken in the ambulance. As Hamlin was loaded into the ambulance, he was receiving oxygen as well from the medical staff.

The situation left such a terrible impact on the players involved in the game that the officials and coaches for both teams made the decision to temporarily suspend the game. Both teams went back into the locker rooms to gather their thoughts and emotions and make a decision on the future of the game.