Stewart Perrie
NFL player Damar Hamlin has woken up and made a startling question to medical staff.
The doctors who have been treating the Buffalo Bills safety have held a press conference to give the world an update on his condition after he suffered a cardiac arrest mid-game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The 24-year-old collapsed to the ground and CPR was administered in front of shocked teammates and the crowd.
He was eventually taken to hospital in a critical condition and has been on a ventilator ever since.
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While the breathing tube has remained, he has finally woken up and been able to communicate with staff through a pad and a pen as well as nods and head shakes.
Dr. Timothy Pritts and Dr. William Knight IV said Hamlin's neurological condition appears to not have been seriously damaged during the cardiac arrest as he's able to perform 'big motor movements and follow commands'.
People says the NFL player's 'first question' was who won the game between the Bills and the Bengals.
His healthcare team replied: "You won. You won at the game of life."
The game was suspended shortly after Hamlin was whisked off to hospital in an ambulance, with many of the players 'openly crying' at seeing their teammate in such a condition.
Hamlin's doctors say he has a long road to recovery but they're pleased to see that 'all the cylinders are firing within his brain'.
The doctors revealed the player's condition could have been very different if it wasn't for the first responders who leapt to help him.
Dr Knight said: "It just speaks really to the immediate recognition that there was something significantly and seriously wrong by the Bills medical staff."
He added: "This went as well as something like this could go, under very challenging circumstances."
The next step doctors will be hoping for is Hamlin coming off the ventilator and being able to breathe on his own.
The Buffalo Bills provided an update recently, after Damar's uncle said the safety player's ventilator has gone from 100 per cent to 50 per cent.
In a statement, the NFL team said: "Per the physicians caring for Damar Hamlin at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Damar has shown remarkable improvement over the past 24 hours.
"While still critically ill, he has demonstrated that he appears to be neurologically intact. His lungs continue to heal and he is making steady progress."
"We are grateful for the love and support he has received."