What happened to the player Damar Hamlin and how common is this situation?
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(CNN) --
It's been more than 18 months since Christian Eriksen collapsed on the pitch at Euro 2020 after going into cardiac arrest.
The Danish midfielder received medical attention during his country's match against Finland in June 2021 that saved his life, and he was eventually revived and taken to hospital.
Players on the field, those inside the stadium and fans around the world held their breath as Eriksen's teammates linked arms to hide their fight for survival.
What are cardiac arrest, heart attack, and heart failure?
They were scenes that had similarities to those on Monday night when Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field.
Like Eriksen, Hamlin also suffered cardiac arrest.
According to the Bills, his heart rate was restored on the field and the 24-year-old remains in "critical condition" at a Cincinnati hospital.
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Buffalo Bills team trainers arrived at Hamlin within 10 seconds of his collapse, similar to the team doctors who saved Eriksen's life.
"Well, what should I say?
She was gone,” Danish team doctor Morten Boesen said at the time.
“And we did CPR and it was cardiac arrest.
How close were we?
I dont know."
Later, Eriksen was fitted with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), a type of pacemaker meant to prevent fatal cardiac arrest by delivering a jolt to restore a regular heart rhythm, and made an incredible return to the sport he loved.
Just 259 days after collapsing, Eriksen made his return to the English Premier League after signing for Brentford.
Eriksen received medical treatment on the field at Euro 2020. Martin Meissner/Pool/Getty Images
Serie A club Inter Milan — who had Eriksen under contract at the time of the incident — allowed the midfielder to move abroad because he could not play in Italy unless his DCI device was removed.
Eriksen came on in the 52nd minute of Brentford's 2-0 loss to Newcastle United in February 2022 and received a hero's welcome.
“If you take away the result, I am a happy man.
Going through what I've been through, being back is a wonderful feeling,” Eriksen said afterwards.
After a brief but successful spell at Brentford, Eriksen moved to Manchester United in July 2022, where he continues to be an integral part of the team.
He has made 15 league appearances so far this season, scoring once.
Then, in November 2022, Eriksen fulfilled his dream of playing for Denmark in a third World Cup.
The 30-year-old played every minute in Denmark's three games at Qatar 2022, before his country was knocked out in the group stage.
Before the tournament, Eriksen said the incident at Euro 2020 altered his outlook on both football and life.
“I think it gave me… let's just say the appreciation of being alive and being with my family.
And I think everything else has been pushed aside,” she told reporters.
“Having the chance to come back and be who I was before was really the goal.
My first goal was always to be a boyfriend and a father."
“It is still very special to be at the World Cup.
The national team is something I am very happy to be a part of again,” he added.
Christian Eriksencardiac arrest
