Damar Hamlin’s Remarkable Recovery

by Bob Russell, ©2023

(Jan. 17, 2023) — The left in America denounces Christians as “haters” because we believe in the sanctity of life and adherence to the Word of God and our beliefs are in direct conflict with their belief that they are the ultimate authority in life. However, they CANNOT deny the power of prayer to the God they claim doesn’t exist after the incredible, nearly impossible, recovery of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin after the horrific sight seen on national television a few weeks ago. 

Hamlin got up after a hard tackle then collapsed in cardiac arrest, a heart attack.  CPR was administered on the field for nine minutes by a team of doctors, trainers, and other medical personnel who came out of the stands to assist in an obviously dire situation.  Hamlin was then put into an ambulance that had driven onto the field and transported to the nearest hospital for more comprehensive treatment.   The chance of his survival at that time was near zero but he did survive.  The fact that he has now been released and has reportedly visited with the team is a huge miracle that cannot be denied by any but the most idiotic of the left.  If Hamlin’s recovery is not a miracle, to what do they attribute it?

Surprisingly, players, coaches, and other team personnel were shown on live TV kneeling together praying as Hamlin was treated on the field and driven off in the ambulance.  It was so concerning that a talking head on ESPN prayed out loud on live TV for Hamlin’s recovery.  ESPN is certainly not part of the so-called “right-wing Christian conspiracy” we hear so much about in the media these days.  I applaud this person and hope he doesn’t lose his job for praying as he did. 

When we see media talking heads cast their atheism aside on live television I know something is up: either they are truly believers in an all-powerful God or the situation scared them so much they think twice about their own autonomy and realize for a moment they might not be as important as they would like to think they are.  Whatever the situation is, I am comforted to see the left admitting we Christians may not be as “crazy” as they usually claim we are. 

As much as I despise the left it is wonderful to see them put their egos aside when a situation like that suffered by Damar Hamlin occurs.  It gives me a great deal of hope for the future of America.  People who daily denounce Christians can put their vitriol aside when faced with a truly horrible situation and pray for a fellow human being.  Hamlin is reported to be a very devout Christian who puts God first, family second, and everything else in perspective.  Every decent, compassionate person in the world should pull for his complete recovery and the chance to get back to the career he very obviously loves.

Even if he cannot continue in football, Hamlin has a very bright future.  He has a story to tell that is compelling, from sure death to substantial recovery in only a couple of weeks is as compelling a story as I have ever heard. 

Hamlin’s story is much more miraculous than mine.  I suffered a massive stroke on August 19, 2014.  When they got me to the hospital and did a CT scan on my brain the neurologist told the medical team to make me comfortable for the very short time I would live, that death was imminent, minutes or at most a few hours away.

He later told me that in 25 years he had never seen anyone suffer as much brain damage as I did and survive.  The “good news” my family got a few days later is that I would likely live for a while but would be bedridden and a mental vegetable as long as I lived.  That was nearly 8 1/2 years ago and, though still very disabled, I am able to function to an extent that is incredible, to say the least.  I daily pray for the full recovery I dreamed was coming and believe it will happen.  As incredible as my situation is it pales in comparison to Hamlin’s recovery.  I am grateful for, and encouraged by, Hamlin’s progress, as that bodes well for my future full recovery.  I believe that what Almighty God has done for Damar Hamlin He will do for me.  I don’t know when it will happen but I believe it will happen.  There are many people praying for me daily, not as many as are praying for him I am sure, but it isn’t about how many are praying but the fact that prayers are being offered.

I am always happy to hear of people who survive and recover from impossible situations because those situations show the love, mercy, and power of God in the lives of us mortal beings.  I also hope and pray that miracles like the one seen in Damar Hamlin’s life will lead people to faith in the God Who created all things, including them, and loves them with a love humans, including myself, cannot begin to fully comprehend.  I am thankful for people who will humble themselves as that ESPN person did and acknowledge a power greater than themselves when something of this magnitude happens.

I submit this in the name of the Most Holy Trinity, in faith, with the responsibility given to me by Almighty God to honor His work and not let it die from neglect.