‘Grateful for the awesome care;’ Damar Hamlin thanks UCMC after release, back in Buffalo

CINCINNATI — Physicians at University of Cincinnati Medical Center announced Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin has been released at a news conference Monday afternoon. He is back in Buffalo continuing his recovery at a hospital.

>>RELATED: ‘The love has been overwhelming;’ Damar Hamlin thankful for prayers in social media statement

“I traveled with him to the airport (Monday) this morning,” said Doctor William Knight. “He landed safely and will be observed and monitored to ensure there is no impact on his condition or lungs.”

Hamlin has moved from critical to stable condition and doing well. He is at the beginning stage of his recovery, Knight said.

“Damar Hamlin has met a number of key milestones on his journey to recovery,” he said. “He is up with physical therapy and occupational therapy, tolerating a regular diet, all to get him to this point where he can be safely returned to Buffalo.”

Hamlin is continuing treatment at Buffalo General Hospital, in a statement on twitter.

>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: ‘We all won;’ Damar Hamlin posts on social media following Bills win

Doctor Timothy Pritts said they continue to be, “ecstatic about his recovery. The only thing that mattered was the patient in the bed and getting them to his family and his community.”

“Our goal for every patient is to get home,” he said. “The best way to do that is to arrange the next steps in his recovery in a hospital in his area.”

>>PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Damar Hamlin making ‘continued progress’, breathing on his own, team says

As for his football future, the doctors said it is too premature and are more focused on his day-to-day recovery.

“He’s up, he’s walking around, his family his amazing,” said Dr. Knight. “But in terms of any conjecture into future, it’s going to be up to Damar and his doctors. He’s still got some recovery to do.”

Doctor Pritts was impressed with Hamlin’s great positive attitude.

“He originally asked, ‘who had won,’” Pritts said. “His answer now to that is ‘we all won.’ He has won as a patient.”

>>PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Damar Hamlin asked who won Bills-Bengals when he woke up

Doctor Knight said we had the right people in the right place in the right time for Hamlin.

“This was a textbook resuscitation on behalf of our team that allowed Damar to have an expected outcome,” said Doctor Knight. “We can’t credit (UC Medical Center) the team approach, we can’t credit the Bills enough, Damar’s family, to celebrate the awesomeness discharge in a long time.”

Doctor Pritts hopes more people will get trained in CPR.

“Hopefully everyone and get trained in CPR so you can save a life someday,” said Pritts. “We agree with his sentiment we all won from this.”

UC Health tweeted a congratulations post on social media.

“Congratulations, Damar,” they wrote on its Twitter account. “You won.”

>>‘We’re deeply honored;’ UC Medical staff recognized for on-field support of Damar Hamlin

Hamlin issued two statements on Twitter including thanking everyone at UC Medical Center for, “the awesome care.”

“Grateful for the awesome care I received at UCMC,” he said in a statement on Twitter. “Happy to be back in Buffalo. The docs and nurses at Buffalo General have already made me feel at home!”

Hamlin said he is heading back to Buffalo, “with a lot of on my heart.”

“Watching the world come together around me on Sunday was truly an amazing feeling, he wrote. “The same love you all have shown me is the same love that I plan to put back into the world. Bigger than football!

©2023 Cox Media Group