Bills' Damar Hamlin showing signs of improvement, uncle says

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Damar Hamlin's status has improved in a Cincinnati hospital, according to his uncle, Dorrian Glenn.

Glenn told NFL Network on Tuesday night that the Buffalo Bills safety remains in intensive care but has improved to 50 percent oxygen on a ventilator – he had previously been on 100 percent.

The 24-year-old is still sedated, but Glenn seemed optimistic about his nephew's health.

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Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin warms up before a game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. (Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports/File)

"Right now, they got him on a ventilator, so they’re trying to get him to breathe on his own," Glenn told the network. "So, we’re just kind of taking it day by day. Still in the ICU. They have him sedated, so just continue to administer the medical treatment that they’ve been doing."

Glenn added, "Once he gets out of ICU, I'll feel better myself."

Hamlin went into cardiac arrest at 8:55 p.m. on "Monday Night Football" against the Cincinnati Bengals after making a tackle on Tee Higgins — medical staff performed CPR for nine minutes on the field before he was taken to a local hospital.

"I’m really, really thankful for the medical staff that’s been working with him," Glenn said of the "heartbreaking" events. "They’ve been truly awesome and helping him with his recovery. It was a really, truly scary scene to witness that yesterday, as everyone in the country probably can agree with. I would have felt the way I felt no matter who it was, but for it to be my nephew, man, it was especially more of a gut punch to see that. I’m thankful that he’s still here, he’s still alive, and he’s still fighting. We’re just taking it day by day and continue to let the medical staff do what they do."

Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills walks to the tunnel during halftime against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Highmark Stadium on Oct. 9, 2022, in Orchard Park, New York. (Bryan Bennett/Getty Images)

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In the wake of the scary incident, fans have donated more than $5 million to Hamlin's charity toy drive fund — created in 2020, it had an initial goal of $2,500. Retailer Fanatics also said that all proceeds from Hamlin's jersey sales, which have skyrocketed in the last 24 hours, will all go to the foundation.

"It’s tremendous to see all the love and support that my nephew has out here," Glenn said. "A lot of people don’t get a chance to see how loved they are while they’re alive, so for him to have a situation where he could have been taken away, and he has a chance to come back and see all that love that he got, it’s truly an amazing thing, and I can’t wait for him to see all the love and support that people have for him. Not just around the area, but around the country and the world, it’s been amazing."

Hamlin’s family released a statement on Tuesday expressing "sincere gratitude" for the outpouring of support they received amid a "challenging time" for the family.

"On behalf of our family, we want to express our sincere gratitude for the love and support shown to Damar during this challenging time. We are deeply moved by the prayers, kind words, and donations from fans around the country," the statement read.

Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills is shown during a game at Highmark Stadium on Oct. 9, 2022, in Orchard Park, New York. (Timothy T. Ludwig/Getty Images)

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The game was officially postponed 66 minutes after Hamlin collapsed. The NFL announced earlier Tuesday that the game will not be made up this week, and Week 18 will be played as regularly scheduled.