Positive news has come out regarding Damar Hamlin's status.
According to Dr. Timothy Pritts of the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, the former Pitt safety now is awake, responsive, and has movement in his hands and feet after spending the last two days intubated and in critical condition following his cardiac arrest in Monday's game in Cincinnati.
In a televised news conference on Thursday, Dr. Pritts noted "substantial improvement" within Hamlin over the past 24 hours, and that it is a turning point within his ongoing care.
“As of this morning, he is beginning to awaken, and it appears his neurological condition and function is intact," Dr. Pritts said.
Dr. Pritts later added that Hamlin has been communicating with writing, as he is still intubated and unable to speak. When he woke last night, Hamlin was able to follow commands, and he asked doctors via writing who won the Monday night game between his Buffalo Bills and the Bengals.
A fellow doctor told Hamlin, "Damar, you won. You won the game of life," according to Dr. Pritts.
Damar Hamlin was alert enough to ask doctors who won the game.
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) January 5, 2023
Their response: "Damar, you won. You won the game of life." pic.twitter.com/PFYOl0Crfu
Dr. Pritts said Hamlin asking about Monday's game was a sign that “all cylinders are firing” in his brain. He added that Hamlin is still processing what happened on Monday and "he expressed surprise that he had not been with the world for two days."
Hamlin had to be resuscitated on the field through an AED and CPR from on-site medical staffs before he was transported to UC Medical Center in an ambulance, as a result of a tackle he made on Cincinnati receiver Tee Higgins in the first quarter. Dr. Pritts noted that the Bills' training staff immediately recognized that Hamlin's situation was not a "run of the mill" injury and that because of their work in moment, it is "why we are here today."
When directly asked if the Bills' medical staff's response to Hamlin impacted the potential outcome, Dr. Pritts responded: "I think that's fair to say."