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Pittsburgh Steelers player Alex Highsmith is apologizing after he participated in a mock CPR celebration just days after Buffalo Bills playerDamar Hamlinwent into cardiac arrest during a game.
Highsmith told thePittsburgh Post-Gazettethat when defensive end Demarvin Lealperformed mock CPR compressions on himafter a sack during their game against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, it wasn’t meant to be a slight toward Hamlin.
“I just don’t want people to think of me that way and think I was doing anything [intentional],” the 25-year-old told thePost-Gazette. “Because I would never, ever, ever, ever want to do that intentionally, and I never, ever would do that.”
Hamlin, 24, had to beresuscitated on the fieldwhen he experienced cardiac arrest during Buffalo’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals last week. He was hospitalized at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and listed in critical condition untilhis release from the hospital on Monday.
Highsmith told thePost-Gazettethat he was deeply affected after seeing Hamlin experience the medical scare and has been thinking about him ever since.
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“I just want people to know that I have nothing but love for Damar and his family,” Highsmith told the outlet. “When that happened, I was shook for a couple days. Me and my wife, we were watching the game, we immediately saw it and intentionally started praying, intentionally prayed for him, his parents, the doctors, the nurses. Because me and her, we’re both followers of Christ.”
“We both believe that prayer is powerful, and I’m just thankful for the miraculous work God has done with Damar’s life,” Highsmith added. “I just want people to know that there was nothing intentional about [the CPR celebration]. It was never planned. None of that.”
According toTMZ Sports, Electronic Arts is also considering removingthe celebrationfrom the latest edition of theirMaddenNFLvideo games series in light of Hamlin’s collapse.
RELATED VIDEO: Damar Hamlin Now Breathing on His Own and Able to Talk: ‘Continues to Progress Remarkably’
Hamlin has improved significantly since his collapse, and is now at a New York hospital with “very capable and excellent” medical care, Dr. William Knight IV, who helped treat the athlete, announced on Monday.
“We continue to be ecstatic about his recovery,” said Dr. Timothy Pritts, who also treated Hamlin. As he heads home, Pritts said Hamlin will “continue to undergo a series of tests.”
source: people.com
