Damar Hamlin released from Cincinnati hospital, physicians say

CINCINNATI (KDKA/AP) - Damar Hamlin was released from the hospital on Monday and is back in Buffalo to continue his recovery a week after he collapsed on went into cardiac arrest, University of Cincinnati Health physicians said.    

Hamlin was discharged from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center in the morning and flown to Buffalo, where Dr. William Knight said he was "doing well." He will continue his recovery at a Buffalo hospital.

The McKees Rocks native tweeted shortly after the doctor's press conference, saying he headed home "with a lot of love on my heart."

"Watching the world come together around me on Sunday was truly an amazing feeling. The same love you all have shown me is the same love that I plan to put back into the world n more. Bigger than football!" 

Dr. Timothy Pritts said "normal recovery" from something like Hamlin suffered is weeks to months, and there's nothing to suggest he won't continue his quick recovery. 

Knight said Hamlin is "neurologically intact" but admitted he's still a little weak, though that's part of the recovery process.

The 24-year-old has made significant progress in his recovery since spending his first two days at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center under sedation and breathing through a ventilator.

He was awakened on Wednesday night and was eventually able to grip people's hands. By Friday, Hamlin was able to breathe on his own and even addressed the team by videoconference, in which he told the Bills, "Love you boys."

In an update Saturday, doctors described Hamlin's neurological function as "excellent," though he remained listed in critical condition.

The physicians said on Monday it's still too early to say whether Hamlin could return to the NFL and there's still no word on the cause as he continues to undergo tests. 

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