Damar Hamlin and Bronny: Did Bills Star and LeBron James 18YO Son Faced a Similar Issue?

A few months back, the NFL world was sent into a state of frightening shock. Buffalo Bills‘ safety Damar Hamlin was fighting for his life on the field. This incident happened after he was tackled during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals, which led to him suffering a cardiac arrest. But with the immediate expertise of the medical team present, Hamlin recovered. And in the past few months of rehab post the traumatic experience, the 25-year-old is looking to make a comeback on the field in the upcoming season of the NFL. 

Just like him, NBA star LeBron James faced a scary episode as well a few days ago. His son, Bronny James, collapsed in a similar fashion like Damar Hamlin during his basketball practice on Monday. Did both of these athletes suffer from the same situation and issue?

Did Damar Hamlin and Bronny James suffer the same near-death experience?

Bronny James is 18 years of age. And just like his father, he plans on walking in LeBron James’s footsteps into NBA stardom. But the young son of the NBA legend suffered from a near-death situation last Monday, which sent shockwaves throughout his family and fans who follow them.

According to an article by The Independent, Bronny James was practicing his hoops at the University of Southern California. The 18-year-old committed to playing for the USC Trojans in the next season. While practicing, Bronny James suffered from a cardiac arrest and collapsed on the court at around 9:20 am. A 911 call was made six minutes later, after which he was rushed to a nearby hospital into the Intensive Care Unit. According to a spokesperson from the family, Bronny James has since been released from the hospital and is in stable condition. But the incident was a scary one, as flashbacks from Hamlin’s cardiac arrest definitely haunted fans. 

Read more: 2 Days After LeBron James’ 18YO Son’s Cardiac Arrest, Martina Navratilova Sends Sympathetic 5-Word Message to the USC Athlete

Apart from the similarities in their situation, both these athletes are black. And this makes us ponder an important question. Are black athletes more prone to cardiac arrest, irrespective of the sport they play? 

Are black athletes more prone to life-threatening situations?

The similarities in the situation of Damar Hamlin and Bronny James are definitely an eye-opener for the health of black athletes. According to a study by the British Journal of Sports Medicine in 2020, black male NCAA Division I Basketball players are more prone to cardiac arrest and death among 11 to 29-year-old athletes. Richard Kovacs, Chief Medical Officer of the American College of Cardiology, gave a few possible factors leading to cardiac arrest being more prone in black athletes. According to Kovacs, a combination of lifestyle, genetics, and the sport they play are factors that lead to black athletes being vulnerable to cardiac arrest. He also talked about hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a genetic cardiac disease more common in black men. In this condition, the heart muscle thickens and reduces the amount of blood pumped into the body.

Given these reasons, should there be a more intensive screening for black athletes in the world of sports? Could this help reduce the risk of cardiac arrests in the future? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. 

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