Damar Hamlin
Back in 2013, Drew and I were at Citi Field for the Mets-Atlanta game where Atlanta pitcher Tim Hudson sustained a season-ending injury. A hush fell over the stadium as we all watched medical personnel attend to Hudson, but the mood lightened when Hudson gave the thumbs up as he was removed from the field, and the game resumed, But for a few minutes we all experienced fear as we were concerned for Hudson. Would he be ok?
That experience pales in comparison to what happened in Cincinnati tonight. The Cincinnati Bengals were hosting the Buffalo Bills, in a game with playoff implications. I’m not a football fan, so Monday night football wasn’t in my radar. (To be honest, I was watching America’s Got Talent All Stars. Mind candy.)
And then …
In the first quarter, Damar Hamlin, a player for the Bills, collapsed on the field after what looked like a routine play. It soon became clear that the situation was life threatening, that Hamlin required CPR, that he was in critical condition. The reactions of the players on both teams spoke volumes. Players were crying, players took a knee and prayed. The game was postponed.
This goes far beyond football. The young man is 24 years old. His family was at the stadium to watch the game, his mother rode in the ambulance to the hospital. The humanity of the situation … I am hoping and praying this young man will be ok.
Very scary stuff. I haven't heard anything new today. I hope he's okay.
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