By Callie Lawson-Freeman
(Source Yahoo! Sports):
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin has been unanimously cleared “to resume full activities” by multiple specialists and is back to working out with the team, general manager Brandon Beane told reporters Tuesday morning.
The news comes three months after Hamlin collapsed on the field with cardiac arrest in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals that was suspended and cancelled. The scene of the 25-year-old receiving CPR after making a tackle was stunning, leading fans to make «Pray for Damar» a trending phrase.
His clearance status is “just like anyone else who was coming back for an injury,” Beane said. “He’s in a great headspace to come back and make his return.”
Hamlin’s return to the field is the latest “remarkable development” in a recovery that seemed to shock even his medical team at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. After collapsing on a Monday, he was found to be “neurologically intact” and responsive just two days later, though he remained in critical condition.
Quarterback Josh Allen reflected on his teammate›s medical emergency in an emotional press conference with reporters that week. When asked if the team was ready to return to the field, he and head coach Sean McDermott agreed. «We want to go out there and play for 3. It›ll be a huge driving force,” Allen said of Hamlin. McDermott added that the team was offered counseling and other resources because “mental health is real.”
By Friday, Hamlin’s breathing tube was removed and he was able to FaceTime his teammates as they prepared to face the New England Patriots before the playoffs.
Exactly a week after being resuscitated on the field, he was discharged from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and transferred to a hospital in Buffalo.
Two days later, the team announced Hamlin was cleared to continue his rehab at home and with the Bills.
In the months between his being discharged from the hospital and now being cleared for full activity, Hamlin saw an outpouring of support in the form of skyrocketing jersey sales, tributes from the league and millions of dollars donated to his charity.
The Bills confirmed that Hamlin would work out with the team in Buffalo with a social media post on Tuesday, writing “Glad to have you back, 3.”
