(NEW YORK) — Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin has made a remarkable recovery in just a little over a month after he suffered cardiac arrest and collapsed during the first quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals.
In a new interview with Good Morning America, Hamlin said that his life was saved by Denny Kellington, the trainer who administered on-field CPR on Jan. 2 for nearly 10 minutes and restored the player’s pulse, before he was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
“I owe Denny my life. Literally,” Hamlin told GMA’s Michael Strahan. “He loves to say he was just doing his job. But… that night, he was literally the savior of my life, you know, administering CPR on me.”
The 24-year-old was initially placed on a ventilator, but showed improvement and was discharged from the hospital nine days later. Hamlin’s collapse has sparked a greater conversation of cardiac arrest in young people and the importance of bystanders learning to perform lifesaving CPR.
Hamlin said that Kellington’s quick-thinking made all of the difference in a life-or-death situation.
“If it wasn’t for someone showing up that day with a clear mind and whatever’s going on in their personal life, just to put it aside and just to be present in the moment to actually be able to do their job correctly — that’s something I’m truly thankful for and I don’t take for granted,” said Hamlin.
Tune in on Monday at 7 a.m. ET on Good Morning America to see what Hamlin said about his recovery and what’s ahead, including his future in professional football.
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