American football player Damar Hamlin has posted a statement on his Instagram handle, first since the 24-year-old suffered a cardiac arrest during a National Football League (NFL) game. His team, the Buffalo Bills, was playing against the Cincinnati Bengals on January 2 when Mr Hamlin collided with an opponent. The video from the game showed that Mr Hamlin had been hit in the upper chest area. He was rushed to the hospital and was in critical condition for a few days.
But during his recovery, the NFL player posted a statement on Saturday in which he thanked the fans who prayed for him.
"When you put real love out into the world it comes back to you 3x's as much. The Love has been overwhelming, but I'm thankful for every single person that prayed for me and reached out," Damar Hamlin said in the statement.
"We brung the world back together behind this. If you know me you know this only gone make me stronger. On a long road keep praying for me!" he further said.
Also Read | What Experts Say About Damar Hamlin's Injury That Almost Stopped His Heartbeat
The 24-year-old also posted a photo from his hospital bed in which he is seen making heart emoji with hands. In another video post, Mr Damlin said he wants "nothing more than to be running out of that tunnel with my brothers".
Mr Hamlin plays for Buffalo Bills as safety, defensive backs who line up 10-15 yards from the line of scrimmage in the NFL game. He served as reserve for much of last year, according to a BBC report.
Since the beginning of 2022 season, Mr Hamlin has been a part of the Bills' starting line-up.
According to NFL website, Mr Hamlin attended Pittsburgh Central Catholic High School. He was the Class AAAA Defensive Player of the Year and a top 150 overall recruit nationally, said the website.
