Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - A little more than a week after going into cardiac arrest during the Buffalo Bills' Week 17 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals on "Monday Night Football", safety Damar Hamlin is finally making his way home.
In a statement released by the Bills on Wednesday, the team says Hamlin has been discharged from Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute. He had arrived at the hospital on Monday after traveling back to Buffalo from Cincinnati, where he had been tended to for nearly a full week by doctors at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
"We have completed a series of tests and evaluations, and in consultation with the team physicians, we are confident that Damar can be safely discharged to continue his rehabilitation at home and with the Bills," said Jamie Nadler, MD, critical care physician and Chief Quality Officer at Kaleida Health, and the care team lead for Hamlin.
Doctors on Monday in Cincinnati were pleased with Hamlin's continued progress in his recovery from suffering cardiac arrest. It was to the point where they allowed Hamlin to fly back to Buffalo and continue his rehabilitation and undergo further testing at Buffalo General.
"We're obviously grateful, first-and-foremost, that he's home and with his parents and his brother, which is great," said Bills head coach Sean McDermott on Wednesday. "I'm sure it's felt like a long time since he's been able to be home, naturally there, and I'm sure it's a great feeling."
McDermott says the team will leave things up to Hamlin on when he wants to return to the team facility in Orchard Park. When he feels ready to return and see his teammates, McDermott says they will welcome him back with open arms.
"His health and well-being is No. 1, as far as that goes. I feel really good about where that is, though, and the fact that he's home and with his parents," McDermott said. "For us, as Damar's dad has said to us multiple times and Damar has mentioned as well, they want us to go do our job, and that's what we've got to do."
The Bills have been riding an emotional roller coaster over the course of several days, from the concerns of their teammate nearly losing his life on the playing field to the overwhelming sense of relief that Hamlin is on the mend and making remarkable process.
While this upcoming week of preparation will be almost be like any regular week during the regular season, McDermott knows that the focus has to be on the Miami Dolphins in a do-or-die AFC Wild Card Round matchup on Sunday.
"It's a good football team that we've split with this year, and we have a lot of respect for them, in terms of what they've done and what they've accomplished this season. So we've got to get ourselves ready to go," McDermott said.
“That just shows the type of kid that he is, how he’s fought and he’s continuing to win,” Bills left tackle Dion Dawkins said. “There’s no place that he would rather be than in his own bed, so blessing to him.”
As Hamlin's recovery progressed, the Bills and the NFL's messaging switched from “Prayers for Damar 3” to "Love for Damar 3" by last weekend, when the entire league honored Hamlin, who wears No. 3. The Bills and their fans capped an emotionally draining week with a 35-23 regular-season-ending victory over New England.
“It’s an awesome feeling. And we’re just hoping that he’s getting his rest and recovery,” quarterback Josh Allen said Wednesday after practice, where the Bills (13-3) prepared to host their division rival Miami Dolphins (9-8) in a wild-card playoff game on Sunday. “As a team, we’re extremely happy.”
As much as players want to see Hamlin in person, Allen cautioned that moment might have to wait to allow Hamlin to gain his strength.
“Just making sure he’s taking it slow, and obviously trying to get back to being himself,” Allen added. “So we’ll take all the time that we need. But I hope he knows the guys are ready to see him.”
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