Bills' Damar Hamlin expresses thanks, asks for more prayers in Instagram post

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin expressed thanks to everybody that shared prayers and reached out to him this past week in a social media post on Instagram Saturday afternoon.

Writes Hamlin:

When you put real love out into the world it comes back to you 3x’s as much. The Love has been overwhelming, but I’m thankful for every single person that prayed for me and reached out. We brung the world back together behind this. If you know me you know this only gone make me stronger. On a long road keep praying for me!

It is Hamlin's first public comment since he suffered a cardiac arrest on Monday night in Buffalo's game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

After being sedated for two days, Hamlin awoke later in the week and was able to communicate with doctors and family, initially via writing and hand squeezes. His breathing tube was removed Thursday night and he was able to begin speaking to family and teammates on Friday.

Hamlin has received an outpouring of support from across the NFL, with the league making efforts to honor him during the Week 18 schedule of games as well as financial support through a two-year-old toy drive fund that has now raised over $8.2 million dollars as of Saturday.  

He remains hospitalized in Cincinnati at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

The Bills play the New England Patriots on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET in Buffalo.