Damar Hamlin makes first public comment since traumatic injury on Instagram

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin made his first public comment since his injury on Instagram.

Damar Hamlin is thankful for all the support he’s gotten, and via an Instagram post let us all know he’s on the road to recovery.

Hamlin suffered a traumatic near-death experience on the field on Monday Night Football. Paramedics gave him nearly 10 minutes of CPR after a heart attack, and he was taken to the hospital in an ambulance. The 24-year-old was in critical condition and on a ventilator as recently as Tuesday.

Both the Bills and Hamlin’s family have been steadfast in providing updates as to his medical condition. The University of Cincinnati hospital has been instrumental in Hamlin’s recovery, as well.

Damar Hamlin instagram post

Damar Hamlin gave a brief update on Instagram on Saturday, his first such post since his injury:

"“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. 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!” Hamlin wrote."

It will be a long road to recovery for Hamlin, as the Bills placed him on injured reserve this week. It’s unknown what the next few weeks hold for him, but if anything we should all be grateful that at the very least, he’s conscious and breathing on his own.

Damar Hamlin charity fundraiser

While we all await and encourage Damar’s recovery, there is something we can do in the meantime. Hamlin’s charity has raised over $8 million in just the past week, a far cry from its original goal. The NFL community has come together in a great way to support one of their own.

A link to the Chasing M’s Foundation can be found here.