Damar Hamlin’s family friend gives update on Buffalo Bills star’s condition

Family friend Jordon Rooney has also confirmed that the 24-year-old was only resuscitated once, despite earlier reports he was resuscitated twice

Jack Rathborn
Wednesday 04 January 2023 11:52 EST
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NFL's Damar Hamlin surrounded by players after collapsing on field

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Damar Hamlin’s friend has confirmed the Buffalo Bills safety’s condition is “moving in a positive direction.”

Hamlin is still in a critical condition after suffering a cardiac arrest on the football field following a collision with wide receiver Tee Higgins during Monday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

But Jordon Rooney, a family friend and marketing representative for Hamlin, has provided an encouraging update on his health, while also clarifying earlier reports and information.

"Things are moving in a positive direction, what the doctors were looking to see I think they saw that,” Rooney said. “Things are moving in the right direction.

“There were some reports that he was resuscitated twice, I wanted to clarify, that was misspoke, he was only resuscitated once.

“Outside of that, things have been moving in the right direction. There's no clarity about how long things will take and where things will go though.

“So for the family it's seeing more positive signs and keep building on that.”

Rooney’s news follows a positive update from Hamlin’s uncle Dorrian Glenn about how his nephew now only requires 50 percent oxygen, down from 100 percent, to help breathing while on a ventilator.

“I’m not a crier, but I’ve never cried so hard in my life. Just to know, like, my nephew basically died on the field and they brought him back to life,” Glenn told CNN in an update on the 24-year-old, who is being treated at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

“They sedated him just to give a better chance for him to just continue to heal better. We are just taking it day by day. It seems like he’s trending upwards in a positive way.”

Glenn added that the focus now is to help Hamlin to recover to breathe on his own and heal his lungs.

“It’s tremendous to see all the love and support,” added. “A lot of people don’t get to see how loved they are while they are alive.

“For him to have a situation where he could have been taken away and he has a chance to come back and see all that love that he has, it’s truly an amazing thing.”

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