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'BRING EVERYBODY': Audio recordings reveal NFL medical team's swift response to Damar Hamlin's collapse

Damar Hamlin had to be resuscitated twice before they sedated him to give him a 'better chance,' his uncle Dorrian Glenn said

BY ANNA MATHEW

PUBLISHED JAN 6, 2023

Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin, 24, was taken away in an ambulance after suffering a cardiac arrest during a game on January 2, 2023 at Paycor Stadium (Kirk Irwin/Getty Images/ @d.ham3/Instagram)

CINCINNATI, OHIO: An audio recording from the chilling moment NFL star Damar Hamlin collapsed onfield during Monday's game between Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals has been released. The NFL medics called all hands on deck to resuscitate Hamlin after he suffered a cardiac arrest while taking a massive hit to his chest in a tackle with Cincinnati Bengals receiver Tee Higgins.

After his collapse, a large medical team rushed to the 24-year-old's aid, and as radio traffic audio reveals, they called every medical personnel to help out. "I don’t like how he went down," one unidentified person could be heard saying on the recordings in the stressful moment. Seconds later, another man announced the situation an "all-call, all-call," meaning, "We're going to need everybody." "Call, bring everybody. We need an airway doctor, everybody. Bring the cot with the medics," the man said in the recordings obtained by The New York Times.

Damar Hamlin: NFL star 'awake' and showing 'remarkable improvement' after cardiac arrest

Damar Hamlin #3 of the Buffalo Bills tackles Tee Higgins #85 of the Cincinnati Bengals during the first quarter at Paycor Stadium on January 02, 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Hamlin was taken off the field by medical personnel following the play. — Damar Hamlin #3 of the Buffalo Bills tackles Tee Higgins #85 of the Cincinnati Bengals during the first quarter at Paycor Stadium on January 02, 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Hamlin was taken off the field by medical personnel following the play (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

'Step it up'

Another recording captured the desperate moment the medical team called for equipment to measure Hamlin's breathing. "I need an end-tidal CO2 now!" a person can be heard yelling on the recording. Another man responded that it was on the way and the first man urged to speed up the process. "Dave, step it up!" he told the man. Another can be heard saying, "Yeah, you need to step it up." Hamlin was soon transferred in an ambulance and rushed to University of Cincinnati hospital. It was previously reported Hamlin's family, who were present at the game, accompanied him in the vehicle but it was later revealed his parents reached the hospital separately.

Buffalo Bills players react after teammate Damar Hamlin #3 was injured against the Cincinnati Bengals during the first quarter at Paycor Stadium on January 02, 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio. — Buffalo Bills players react after teammate Damar Hamlin #3 was injured against the Cincinnati Bengals during the first quarter at Paycor Stadium on January 02, 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio (Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)

Hamlin had to be resuscitated twice before they "sedated him just to give a better chance for him to just continue to heal better," Hamlin's uncle Dorrian Glenn told CNN. He has since woken up and is "alive and breathing." His uncle said, "It seems like he's trending upwards in a positive way." Dr Timothy Pritts and University of Cincinnati's Dr William Knight credited Hamlin's successful recovery to the NFL medical team's speedy response. "There are injuries that happen in sports, but it's rare to have something [that] incredibly serious [that quickly]," Pritts said, according to Daily Mail. "We cannot credit [the Bills medical] team enough." "It's been a long and difficult road for the last three days," Knight added. "[Hamlin] has made a pretty remarkable improvement."