Damar Hamlin's Uncle Hopeful For Recovery After He 'Basically Died' On NFL Field

The world was shocked as they witnessed Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapse on the field during Monday Night’s Buffalo Bills vs Cincinnati Bengals game.

The 24-year-old was down on the field as medical personnel rushed and gave him CPR for 9 minutes. He was then loaded into an ambulance and taken to a hospital in the Cincinnati area, where he remains this morning.

Viewers have since learned that he suffered from cardiac arrest.

The 24-year-old remains in critical condition as of Tuesday evening, according to Hamlin's uncle, Dorrian Glenn, who spoke to CNN.

Hamlin was resuscitated twice on Monday evening – once on the NFL field as he was surrounded by medical personnel and his teammates and Bengals players, and again when he was rushed into the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, which is where he currently remains and is still being treated.

“I’m not a crier, but I’ve never cried so hard in my life. Just to know, like, my nephew basically died on the field and they brought him back to life,” Glenn said in reference to the situation with his nephew.

Damar Hamlin suffered damage to his lungs, according to Glenn, and he is currently on a ventilator to help him breathe and relieve some of the strain.

The doctors told Hamlin's uncle that the 24-year-old Buffalo Bills safety has also been “flipped over on his stomach” to help with the blood on his lungs.

The good news is that it seems that he is slowly recovering. “It seems like he’s trending upwards in a positive way," Glenn said.

Damar Hamlin's teammate, Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins, was on the field when the horrifying situation occurred. At first, he thought Hamlin was just hit hard, but then he realized the severity of Hamlin's condition when the 24-year-old stayed on the ground and as more medical personnel rushed over.

“In that moment, you’re just thinking like, ‘What can I do? What can we do?’ And it just immediately breaks you down into prayer,” Dawkins told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer. “Whether you’re a believer or not, only a higher power can really take control of what is next. And our people that help also assisted that higher power.”

Prior to Hamlin's uncle speaking out, the family of the 24-year-old released a statement, thanking everyone for their prayers and support during this difficult time.

"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 began.

"We also want to acknowledge the dedicated first responders and healthcare professional at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center who have provided exceptional care to Damar," they continued, "We feel so blessed to be part of the Buffalo Bills organization and to have their support. We also want to thank Coachaylor and the Bengals for everything they've done."

They concluded, "Your generosity and compassion mean the world to us. Please keep Damar in your prayers. We will released updates as soon as we have them."

At the time of publication, Damar Hamlin remains in critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. His doctors are working to get him breathing without a ventilator.