Shortly after news broke that Bronny James, the 18-year-old son of LeBron James, suffered a cardiac arrest on Monday during a USC workout, Damar Hamlin was one of the many throwing his support behind Bronny, LeBron, 38, Savannah James, and the rest of the family during this harrowing time. ” Prayers to Bronny & The James family as well,” tweeted Damar, 25, the Buffalo Bills safety that had his own cardiac arrest in January. Along with a ‘prayer hands’ emoji, Damar wrote, “Here for you guys, just like you have been for me [throughout] my entire process.”
Prayers to Bronny & The James family as well. 🙏🏽 here for you guys just like you have been for me my entire process.
— 𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐦𝐥𝐢𝐧 (@HamlinIsland) July 25, 2023
The James family released a statement on Tuesday (July 25), saying that Bronny “suffered a cardiac arrest” the day before during a basketball workout at the University of Southern California’s Galen Center. The medical staff was able to treat Bronny and take him to the hospital. He is now in stable condition and no longer in ICU. We ask for respect and privacy for the James family, and we will update media when there is more information,” the family said in its statement.
Bronny James had a cardiac screening several months ago as part of a program for prospective NBA players, reports CNN. The screening included a transthoracic echocardiogram, a process that “looks at blood flow through the heart and heart valves,” reports the news network. Bronny also underwent an EKG, which is a recording of the heart’s electrical activity, according to CNN’s source, who says that “both screenings came back with normal results.” These results imply that this episode wasn’t caused by an anatomical preexisting problem, but fans will have to wait until a medical professional officially confirms these findings.
“LeBron and Savannah wish to publicly send their deepest thanks and appreciation to the USC medical and athletic staff for their incredible work and dedication to the safety of their athletes,” the statement concluded. TMZ, who first reported the story, says a 911 call was made around 9:26 AM and that Bronny was reportedly unconscious when he was taken by ambulance to a hospital.
Similarly, Damar collapsed on the field of Paycor Stadium on Jan. 2, during a Week 17 matchup between his Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals. During the first quarter, Damar tackled Bengals’ wide receiver Tee Higgins. It seemed like a routine tackle – with Higgins’ right shoulder colliding with Hamlin’s chest – but when Damar got up, he fell back down. Medical personnel quickly rushed to Darmar’s side, with the first responders using CPR and other treatments to keep him alive. He was transferred to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition. He soon recovered to where he was cleared to play in the NFL again.
Damar later confirmed he had suffered commotio cordis, a “rare cardiac arrest immediately following a blow to the chest,” according to the American Heart Association. The organization said a 2023 study found that ” 94% of victims were male, and their average age was 19. A little less than two-thirds of the cases involved sports, and most of those involved a projectile such as a baseball or softball.”