(Reuters) – Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin posted a video thanking fans and his medical team nearly four weeks after he collapsed during a game and his heartbeat was restored in a frightening scene that sent shockwaves through the NFL.
Hamlin has made a remarkable recovery since he collapsed during the Jan. 2 game on the road against the Cincinnati Bengals, and received a standing ovation when he appeared at a postseason game between the two teams on Sunday.
“It was important for me to wait and speak publicly at the right time, as it was just a lot to process within my own self. Mentally, physically, even spiritually, it’s just been a lot to process,” Hamlin said in a lengthy Instagram video.
“I can’t tell you how appreciative I am of all the love, all the support and everything that’s just been coming in my way.”
His collapse prompted an outpouring of support for an online toy drive that Hamlin and Chasing M’s Foundation hosted, with nearly $4.1 million donated in less than 24 hours while he was in critical condition at University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
On Saturday, the drive had amassed more than $9 million in contributions.
“My mind is literally blown away from all the support. I don’t even have the words to express the gratitude for the amount of support that was given into that,” said Hamlin.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Josie Kao)
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