[MrLonzo]

Just wondering why there’s so much coverage of Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest during the NFL game last Monday. There are close to 1,000 people going into cardiac arrest every day in the U.S., none of which are headline news. Their businesses don’t shut down, their employers don’t send everyone home, the world doesn’t stop. Why is this one so special? Just wondering…

[Davonu]

You don’t follow major sports much, do you?!?

[Tvflguy]

Originally Posted by MrLonzo

Just wondering why there’s so much coverage of Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest during the NFL game last Monday. There are close to 1,000 people going into cardiac arrest every day in the U.S., none of which are headline news. Their businesses don’t shut down, their employers don’t send everyone home, the world doesn’t stop. Why is this one so special? Just wondering…

I find it quite difficult to respond to this. Other than stating, “huh???”

[JSR22]

Unbelievable!

[Michael 61]

I feel very sorry for this young man, but honestly, I had no clue who he was until the news story hit.

[Velvet]

Because a lot of people were there to see what they have probably never seen before; a young man, in his absolute prime, possibly dying right in front of them….

[LuvNH]

Originally Posted by Velvet

Because a lot of people were there to see what they have probably never seen before; a young man, in his absolute prime, possibly dying right in front of them….

But it appears he was not in his absolute prime, as you put it. It has been reported that he had an irregular heart beat problem and that he was hit in the area of the chest which brought him down. A one in how many chance.

I think this information is invaluable to cardiologists and other heart exerts. We learn somelthing knew every day.

[MrChip72]

Originally Posted by MrLonzo

Why is this one so special? Just wondering…

People have life threatening events on a daily basis, but this was on a National TV broadcast where over 21 million people witnessed it happen live.

I don't know about you, but I think most people have never witnessed someone on live TV collapsing due to cardiac arrest and requiring CPR/defibrillation just for the chance that the person might have a chance of being alive.

I was one of the many people watching live with a crowd of people at a local bar in TV and just seeing the dozens of players on the field crying and extremely distraught, likely to deal with PTSD in the future was something very hard to watch.

[Taltarzac725]

Probably because it happen to a very young person while he was playing professional sports. Think if this had happened during any professional sport involving young people this would get the same kind of re-action from the press.

The national press has covered these incidents when they involve high school and college age athletes as well.

[coralway]

The Bills didn’t give him a physical before the season started? It would have picked up a heart condition.

[SusanInHadley]

This is what I read from “experts”.

“The timing of the blow to Hamlin’s chest may have played a role, too. If the trauma occurred at a precise moment between heartbeats it may have caused a specific type of ventricular fibrillation known as commotio cordis – a disruption of the heart rhythm that occurs after a blow to the area of the chest that’s directly above the heart.”

[Shellshack]

I for one am proud that thousands of Americans and other people throughout the world have reached out and offered payers, support and genuine sympathy for this young man, his family, his fellow teammates and players. I find it unbelievable that anyone who witnessed the shock of that tragedy live or by replay could possibly ask people to justify their acts of awareness and kindness.
What is the inconvenience of delaying a form of entertainment for a few days compared to the the life of this young man?
Kindness should be appreciated, not criticized, even if someone is not "Special" to others.

[me4vt]

He’s a sports figure, and it happened “live” in front of millions of people as he was entertaining them! No other reason……

[Ele201]

Originally Posted by MrLonzo

Just wondering why there’s so much coverage of Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest during the NFL game last Monday. There are close to 1,000 people going into cardiac arrest every day in the U.S., none of which are headline news. Their businesses don’t shut down, their employers don’t send everyone home, the world doesn’t stop. Why is this one so special? Just wondering…

Well, if you don’t follow pro football, or care about it, then I can see where you are coming from. I’m not into NFL football either, although my husband is. However, this incident had a lot of significance because a player collapsed and his heart just stopped on the field, and this never happens. So that’s why it’s so newsworthy. I’m so glad he survived and impressed with the care he received right away, to revive his heart. A takeaway: A great motivator to learn CPR — it could save a life one day!

[me4vt]

I wish people would quit using “PTSD” as a crutch for every incident!
PTSD became a diagnosis from Research about Veterans returning from combat was a critical piece to the creation of the diagnosis. So, the history of what is now known as PTSD often references combat history.