Damar Hamlin was resuscitated twice and remains on a ventilator according to uncle I The Rush

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin was resuscitated twice and remains on a ventilator, according to his uncle Dorrian Glenn. Meanwhile, the NFL has indefinitely postponed the Bills vs. Bengals game and the league has offered mental health resources to active players who are coping with the trauma of Hamlin suffering a sudden cardiac arrest on the field during the course of a game. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin spoke emotionally about his lengthy relationship with Hamlin and how the 24-year-old had realized his dreams. While Hamlin remains hospitalized in critical condition in an ICU, his Chasing M’s Foundation fundraiser has been flooded with donations from people moved by his story and plenty of famous names.

Video Transcript

MIKE TOMLIN: I'll say this about Damar Hamin. Man, it's a really personal thing for me, being a Pittsburgher and that young man being a Pittsburgher. I've known that guy probably since he was about 12. Just got a lot of respect and love for him.

JARED QUAY: The sports world continues to keep a watchful eye on 24-year-old Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who remains hospitalized in ICU in Cincinnati after suffering cardiac arrest during Monday Tonight Football.

Moments after a play in which he tackled Bengals receiver Tee Higgins, Hamlin collapsed on the field, where he was treated with a defibrillator and several minutes of CPR before being taken to a local hospital via ambulance. On Tuesday, Dorrian Glenn. Who was reportedly Hamlin's uncle, told reporters that Damar had to be resuscitated twice and spoke out on what his nephew was experiencing in the hospital.

DORRIAN GLENN: He's on a ventilator to help him with breathing, and they're trying to get his lungs back to full strength. He was, like, on 100%, being assisted by the ventilators yesterday. And he's improved, I believe, up to 50%. So that's definitely an upward trend, and we're thankful for that.

JARED QUAY: The entire country has been stunned by what we witnessed on the field Monday. From Patrick Mahomes to JJ Watt, who himself had his heart shocked into rhythm after experiencing atrial fibrillation in October of 2022. Active NFL players have been dealing with this trauma, both publicly and privately.

Tee Higgins, who was tackled by Hamlin before he experienced cardiac arrest, tweeted his well-wishes, as did most of Hamlin's Buffalo Bills teammates, whose fears and uncertainty was palpable in their tweets. The NFL sent a memo to teams on Tuesday offering mental health and support services site at team facilities.

The league announced that the Bills-Bengals game won't be resumed any time this week, while the rest of week 18's team matchups will be played as scheduled. In his Tuesday press conference ahead of Pittsburgh's game against Cleveland, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin spoke at length about Hamlin, who he has known since Damar was a young kid.

MIKE TOMLIN: Just got a lot of respect and love for him as a human being. His commitment to the pursuit of his goals and dreams of doing what it is he's doing right now, which is playing in the NFL.

JARED QUAY: Even before Hamlin made it to the NFL, he used football as a platform to make a difference in other people's lives. Hamlin had launched the Chasing M's Foundation in 2020, and set up a GoFundMe campaign for a toy drive in his hometown of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania. Prior to Monday tonight, The campaign had raised a few thousand dollars.

But when people from all over the world watched what happened to Hamlin in real time on their televisions, donations poured in. As of Tuesday evening, the campaign had raised more than $5 million thanks to football fans, people who were touched by his story, and plenty of celebrities, too. We'll leave you today with Damar in his own words.

DAMAR HAMLIN: I'm thankful that I can even be in this position to give back. I can't really remember too many people that got in front of me to show me, like, this is the way to go, this is the way to do it. So I really feel like it's important for me to do it, because I know the difference it can play in a kid's life. Even if it's just meeting me one time, it could have a big impact on their lives to keep them out of trouble along the line down the road.