Jan 9, 2023Buffalo Bills Medical Staff Honored Prior to Patriots Game
The Buffalo Bills may have received a hero’s welcome when they returned to the field Sunday for the first time since Damar Hamlin collapsed on Monday. But one of the loudest pregame ovations was for the heroes who helped save Hamlin’s life: the Bills’ medical and athletic training staff.
A recent story from NBCSports.com highlighted the outpour of support — from both the Buffalo community and the internet — regarding the life-saving efforts of the Bills medical staff.
Below is an excerpt from the NBCSports.com article about the Bills medical staff.
The staff was honored before the Bills’ matchup started against the New England Patriots. They stood on the field in front of the 30-yard line, which had the number three outlined in blue in honor of Hamlin and his No. 3 jersey. The public address announcer announced the names of each staff member, with many holding up three fingers in honor of Hamlin as they were called.
The @BuffaloBills honored the medical and athletic training staff members who helped save @HamlinIsland's life.
Heroes. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/BKQONV7BJ0
— NFL (@NFL) January 8, 2023
The staff included head athletic trainer Nate Breske, assistant athletic trainer Denny Kellington, physical therapist Joe Micca, assistant athletic trainer Tabani Richards, medical director Dr. Leslie Bisson, team internist Dr. Tom White, team internist Dr. Mark Kim, team orthopedist Dr. Marc Fineberg, director of sports performance Joe Collins, team sports psychologist Dr. Desaree Festa, athletic training intern Marissa Figueroa, team chiropractor Dr. Zachary Musial, coordinator of player services Kelsey Harkins and equipment assistant Kori Reblin.
The staff has been praised for their immediate response and quick action in applying CPR after Hamlin went into cardiac arrest after a collision with Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins on Monday Night Football.
“It’s certainly not an exaggeration to say that the skilled and the immediate response by all of these talented caregivers prevented a very tragic outcome at that moment,” NFL chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills said Wednesday.
Our amazing medical and athletic training staff members were recognized pregame. Let’s hear it for these heroes!#ForDamar | #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/8zAZ4ilWq8
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 8, 2023
It was Kellington who administered CPR and chest compressions on Hamlin, who had no pulse on the field and had to be revived through resuscitation and defibrillation before being transported to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
