SCA Miracles in the World of Sports
NFL Cincinnati Buffalo Bills Player, Damar Hamlin
Buffalo Bills website
On January 2, 2023, safety, Damar Hamlin collapsed during a game at Paycor Stadium after taking a hard hit to his chest. He went into sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). Emergency medical personnel performed CPR for nine minutes, keeping him alive until he got more specialized treatment at the University of Cincinnati Hospital.
Hamlin had a tattoo done to commemorate his survival one year later – a pulse inside two hands forming a heart. In November 2023, the football player announced that he was giving scholarships to 10 first responders who saved his life. He is making the contribution through his foundation, Chasing M’s.
During the 2023 season, Hamlin made it back on the playing field, seeing action in five games during the year. He made a pair of tackles during that time. While he lost out to Joe Flacco as Comeback Player of the Year, he certainly has proven that miracles do happen when people are trained in CPR.
Soccer Player, Christian Eriksen
Creative Commons
During an opening match against Finland in 2020, Danish midfielder, Christian Eriksen, 29, collapsed suddenly on the field. He had just experienced a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). He was immediately resuscitated by emergency medics. At the time, he had stopped breathing and did not have a pulse.
Eriksen recovered from the event and was later fitted with an implant. The cardioverter defibrillator can detect and stop irregular heartbeats. He is currently signed as a player with Manchester United but is out of action due to a knee injury.
CPR classes offered in Minneapolis area, Tampa Bay, and Central Pennsylvania. More fun than you can imagine and learning something that is important to know, priceless!
Hockey Star, Chris Pronger
Creative Commons
St. Louis Blues defenseman, Chris Pronger was slapped in the chest with a puck in a 1998 game, leaving him with an irregular heartbeat. He lost consciousness for about 30 seconds and was immediately aided by medical personnel. The team’s doctor stated that the hockey player’s heart stopped momentarily, but quickly returned to normal.
The event took place during a playoff competition with the Detroit Red Wings. Pronger was cleared for game play for the next game after wearing a heart monitor for 24 hours and following a battery of cardiac tests.
Pronger, who played 18 seasons in the NHL as defenseman, was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015. He also played for the Edmonton Oilers.
He is currently working in the business field. He tweeted a wish to Hamlin for a positive recovery.
Sudden Cardiac Deaths in the Sports World
It’s important to note that sudden cardiac deaths happen the most often among basketball players. According to a 2018 review, most sports-related deaths are attributed to coronary artery disease (CAD) in adults and arrhythmia or cardiomyopathy in youths. Needless to say, schools and stadiums should be well equipped with AEDs and trained in on-site CPR.
Final Thoughts
When anyone survives an SCA, it’s truly a miracle. We can create miracles and save a life by learning CPR and making the public aware of the importance of AEDs. Sometimes making a positive change is as easy as signing up for onsite CPR/AED training.
