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Even if you’re not a football fan, you no doubt heard about Damar Hamlin (jersey #3) — the Buffalo Bills safety who collapsed on the field during a game on January 2, 2023.

Football is a sport that contains, and even thrives on, contact, impact and sometimes violence. We’ve all seen players get injured. They go down- it’s a knee, an ankle, a concussion, you name it. Sometimes they walk off on their own; other times medical staff help. A quick thumbs up from the injured player on their way to the locker room, and the crowd politely applauds the player’s well-being.

But Damar’s situation was decidedly different.

An Unexpected Crisis

After a very routine tackle, Damar immediately stood to his feet. And just as immediately, stumbled backwards and collapsed on the field. Medical staff promptly arrived from the sidelines. Damar had no pulse and was not breathing. Medical personnel spent several minutes performing CPR while more than 65,000 fans stood in stunned silence and millions watching around the world followed suit.

 

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