HOUSTON – Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin’s remarkable recovery from a cardiac arrest reached another emotional milestone as he FaceTimed with his teammates and coaches during a team meeting Friday.
“Love you boys,” Hamlin told the team.
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Hamlin collapsed Monday night after tackling Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. He has made rapid progress in his recovery with his breathing tube removed overnight and being able to breathe on his own. He has been alert for a few days with no signs of neurological damage.
#Texans paint practice field in honor of Damar Hamlin #DamarHamlinStrong pic.twitter.com/Oe1yxaWkHJ
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) January 6, 2023
Doctors removed Bills safety Damar Hamlin’s breathing tube overnight, and he FaceTimed with coaches and players during Friday’s team meeting, Buffalo said. “Love you boys,” Hamlin told the team, according to the Bills.
“Continues to progress remarkably in his recovery,” the Bills siad in a statement.
And doctors at UC Health Medical Center in Cincinnati said Hamlin asked them in writing who won the game, which was suspended and ultimately cancelled.
Doctors who treated him said, ‘He asked, who won the game?’
And Dr. Timothy Pritts said: “Yes, Damar, you won the game of life.”
The Texans have several close connections to Hamlin, including former teammates Kurt Hinish (Central Catholic High School in Pittsburgh), Jimmy Morrissey (Pitt) and the Bills (Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison).
The Texans honored Hamlin by painting their practice field with his No. 3 stenciled in blue.
On Wednesday, an emotional Hinish forecasted a strong return by his friend.
“Mentally, he’s just such a strong person that if anyone was put to this test, if I could see anybody coming out on the other side of this, it would be him,” Hinish said. “Just the mental fortitude that he has and the way we train, just the way he carries himself every day, that means lot. From an outsider’s point of view, if it’s anyone that’s going to pull through this and come out fantastic and better than he was, it’s going to be him. That’s just the kind of kid he is.”
“We all know what kind of person Damar is and to kind of bring light to the situation, what kind of a person he is. How strong of a person he is mentally to fight this battle that’s going on right now. He’s going to be great. He’s going to be just fine.”
RELATED: Bills’ Hamlin breathing on his own, joins team via video