By Dennis Romero -
NBC News
Damar Hamlin, the defensive player for the Buffalo Bills, who continues to recover from cardiac arrest, thanked the fans who wished him a speedy recovery for the first time since he collapsed in the middle of a game Saturday.
“When you give true love to the world, it comes back to you triple,” Hamlin wrote on Instagram.
“The outpourings of love have been overwhelming, but I am thankful for every single person who prayed for me and reached out…..It's a long road, keep praying for me!”
In the messages, his first public note since the incident during Monday night's game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Hamlin assured fans that the episode would only strengthen his resolve.
Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals, in Ohio on January 2, 2023.Kevin Sabitus / Getty Images
A joint statement from the Bills and the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where Hamlin is being treated, said the 24-year-old was still in critical condition as of Saturday.
"Damar continues to make progress in his recovery, but remains in critical condition," the statement read.
"He continues to breathe on his own and his neurological function is excellent."
[How a routine takedown ended in cardiac arrest that has Damar Hamlin between life and death]
The Bills host the New England Patriots on Sunday.
Buffalo players plan to wear patches on their jerseys with Hamlin's number 3 in solidarity with him, according to the NFL.
For pregame warmups, Bills players plan to wear jerseys emblazoned with the legend: "Love for Damar 3," according to the league.
The NFL expressed its gratitude to first responders who rushed to help Hamlin when he collapsed Monday, and encouraged teams to read a statement before games this weekend thanking the people who helped him.
Hamlin has made a remarkable recovery each day since the incident.
On Friday, he was released from the intubation and also participated in a FaceTime meeting with his team, in which he told his fellow players, "I love you guys," the Bills reported.
Damar Hamlin can now talk and FaceTimed his teammates.
This told them
Jan 6, 202300:24
His collapse, watched by millions, occurred just after the shoulder of a Bengals receiver he was tackling struck him in the chest.
The exact relationship between the stroke and the cardiac arrest is not yet clear.
Doctors at the University of Cincinnati considered the possibility that Hamlin had suffered what is known as
commotio cordis,
when a blow 20 milliseconds after a beat can stop the heart.
