Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin addresses the crowd for the first time after suffering a heart attack

Cincinnati (USA), January 8 (dpa / EP) –

Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin, who is still in the intensive care unit (ICU) after suffering a cardiac arrest, addressed his followers for the first time on social media, asking them to continue to “pray for him.”

And the 24-year-old athlete wrote on his official account on the social network: “I am grateful to everyone who reached out to me and prayed. This will make me stronger in the path of recovery. Keep praying for me.” Twitter.

The Buffalo Bills professional has since had his breathing tube removed, the next step in his remarkable recovery since he went into cardiac arrest and was revived during Monday’s NFL game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

The team said his neurological function remains normal and that they have spoken with his family and the care team at University of Cincinnati Hospital.

Hamlin was on his way to tackle midway through the first quarter of Monday’s game, a typical defensive play in a football game, when a Bills outfielder tackled Bengals player Tee Higgins to the ground.

Higgins went shoulder first in his motion and hit the defender in the chest. Hamlin got up after the tackle, straightened his helmet, and fell seconds later. He had to be revived in the field and his condition was critical.