Health

Chris Pronger is one of the greatest hockey defenders ever, but perhaps he's more known for his own terrifying in-game medical emergency ... the former NHL MVP suffered commotio cordis after taking a slapshot to the heart during a playoff game in 1998.

TMZ Sports talked to the retired 48-year-old NHL great about the parallels between him and Damar Hamlin ... as many physicians have theorized the 24-year-old Bills safety also experienced the extremely rare heart issue.

"I got hit with a slapshot literally right in the heart and in between beats and that's called commotio cordis where you get hit in between beats. Your heart thinks it beat so it skips one beat. Sometimes the heart restarts, sometimes it doesn't," Pronger said of the May 10, 1998 incident in Detroit.

Although he lost consciousness and collapsed to the ice in terrifying fashion, fortunately for Chris, his heart started beating again on its own. He ultimately didn't require CPR or defibrillation. Video of the incident involving Chris is here ... but fair warning, it's difficult to watch.

"I kinda get up a little bit, stumble, couple strides and then collapse to the ice. The next thing you know, I'm waking up and I got my shirt cut open, all my stuff's off. I'm looking up at the rafters and looking up at the banners in Joe Louis Arena and looking over to my right, I can see our bench -- guys are crying."

"You don't really know what's going on. You're just kinda deer in the headlights talking to the doctor."

FYI, Hamlin's physicians, in a briefing from the hospital earlier this week, have said it's too early to determine if commotio cordis or another heart issue caused the medical emergency.

Whatever the cause, we know Hamlin's heart did not restart by itself. Fortunately, the Bills medical team immediately sprang into action, saving Damar's life.

"The placement of the trainers and doctors, medical staff, they have to pay attention to the game because you never know when something is gonna happen," Pronger says, adding ... "Kudos to them for being quick to jump out there. When you see somebody fall like that you clearly know something is not right."

When Pronger collapsed in the Motor City, his parents were in the arena to watch the game ... much like Damar's mom was in Cincinnati. Chris empathizes with what the Hamlin's are going through.

"This one seems like it's a lot more critical than mine was. Very similar in the beginning but as you watch, this one plays out, you know, applying CPR for a number of minutes on the field," Chris said.

"You feel for them. It's become a spectacle for them and it's a life-or-death situation. The last thing they're thinking about right now is football. They're thinking about the human side of things in Damar's life and getting back to some sense of normalcy as it relates to just life in general."

A 6-year-old student shot a teacher inside their first grade classroom at a Virginia elementary school ... and now the teacher is fighting for her life.

The shooting went down Friday at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, with the student opening fire on a female teacher ... according to police.

Cops say the teacher, who is in her 30s, suffered life-threatening injuries ... and the 6-year-old child is in police custody after using a handgun in the shooting.

It's interesting ... police say the shooting was not an accident, and it sounds like only a single shot was fired.

The school, which has about 550 students in kindergarten through fifth grade, was evacuated after the shooting ... with parents reuniting with their children outside a gymnasium door.

Tristan Thompson's mom has died suddenly in Toronto ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us, Tristan's mom, Andrea, suffered a heart attack at home Thursday ... she was rushed to a local hospital where medical experts tried to resuscitate her, but she didn't make it.

Our sources say Tristan left Los Angeles as soon as he could to be with his family in Toronto.

Tristan posted a ton of photos with his mom over the years, it's clear they were very close. He also shared photos of Andrea with his kids -- including his daughter True, who he shares with Khloe Kardashian.

As you know, Khloe and Tristan have two children together, including a baby boy born in August via surrogate.

Peyton Hillis, the former Cleveland Browns star who was on the cover of the Madden 12 video game, was hospitalized after a swimming accident where he saved his kids from drowning.

Peyton remains in the intensive care unit for treatment on his lungs and kidneys, but doctors say his health is improving, according to his uncle.

Meanwhile, Peyton's kids are said to be safe and healthy.

Hillis was in Pensacola, FL when the accident happened, according to reporter Alyssa Orange, who says he was helicoptered to the hospital and remains unconscious in the ICU.

Peyton was on the Madden cover after a breakout season in 2010 and another good year in 2011 with the Browns. Hillis rushed for 1,177 yards to go with 477 receiving yards as a running back in 2010 and scored 13 total touchdowns. He followed with 717 total yards and 3 TDs in 2011 and then made it on the Madden 12 cover, being voted in by the fans.

A 7th-round draft pick out of Arkansas in 2008, Peyton played in 81 NFL games over 8 seasons with the Browns, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs and New York Giants.

Peyton has not played in the NFL since the 2014 season. He's since gotten into acting and made his film debut last year in the indie thriller, "The Hunting."

Lizzo has a lot to say to the folks who won't stop talking about her figure ... she's tired of all the body shaming and says she's not here to fit anyone's beauty standards.

The singer just went on a long rant on social media, posting a video in a bikini where she sounds off on anyone and everyone who has something to say about her body.

Lizzo says she's tired of the discourse around bodies ... rattling off all the different things she hears about her own body. Her point -- no matter what she does, someone always has something to critique.

Remember ... Kanye West and Aries Spears trashed Lizzo's body last year, and she even responded to their comments during a show in Toronto.

Lizzo doesn't mention anyone by name in her rant, which has been her MO on this topic, but she addresses her haters, celebs and otherwise, calling them "delusional."

The way Lizzo sees it ... she's not here to conform to anyone's beauty standards, and she's going to do whatever she wants with her body, which she says is a work of art in itself.

Lizzo says folks are wasting effort commenting on all her Twitter posts ... and she proposes charging $5.99 for every comment on her tweet.

The NFL is honoring Damar Hamlin this weekend ... making several grand gestures to support the 24-year-old on his road to recovery.

The league announced Friday all 32 teams will be encouraged to read a special message before kickoff as a unified show of solidarity for Hamlin, who remains hospitalized in the ICU.

A scoreboard graphic of Damar will also accompany the pregame tribute.

The Bills, meanwhile, revealed Friday they'll wear "3" jersey patches on their uniforms when they take on the Patriots on Sunday.

Buffalo personnel will also be donning New Era hats with the number "3" embroidered on them during pregame warmups as well.

On top of that, the NFL will allow teams to outline "3" at each 30-yard line marker in the Bills' signature colors, blue or red.

Marcio Freire -- a big wave surfer whose career was so iconic it was featured in the popular 2016 "Mad Dogs" documentary -- is dead after a tragic accident in the water in Portugal.

The Brazilian surfing veteran had been hitting the massive waves at Praia do Norte beach in Nazare on Thursday, practicing his tow-in ... when authorities say he fell off his board.

According to the Portuguese National Maritime Authority, rescuers found the 47-year-old in cardio-respiratory arrest ... and immediately started "resuscitation maneuvers on the sand."

However, Freire didn't make it despite the life-saving attempts.

The surfing world was rocked by the news ... with Nic von Rupp mourning the loss in an emotional social media post.

"We surfed all day, it was perfect, clean, barrels, Márcio was stoked had that huge smile. With that smile is how I’m going to remember him."

Added Hawaiian surfing star Matt Meola in an Instagram post of his own, "Man what a sad day for surfing. Hard to imagine somebody who seemed so big and invincible is gone."

Freire -- one of the three "Mad Dogs" surfers who victoriously rode the "Jaws" wave in Hawaii -- had been seen just moments before his death smiling and enjoying the waves.

Damar Hamlin continues to make giant positive strides -- the Bills' safety is now breathing without mechanical help just days after his heart stopped on the field Monday night, and he's even talking to his family!

The Bills tweeted an update on Hamlin Friday, writing "Per the physicians at UCMC, Damar's breathing tube was removed overnight. He continues to progress remarkably in his recovery."

Hamlin had required a breathing tube to provide him oxygen since going into cardiac arrest ... but no more, and it's a great sign.

On Thursday, two of Hamlin's doctors announced the DB had been communicating with them through writing, and even asked who won the 'MNF' game between his Bills and the Bengals.

The doctors also noted Hamlin made "significant progress" and was "neurologically intact," easing fears Damar's brain was damaged by a lack of air.

Despite Hamlin's improvement, the incident still haunts his teammates. Star QB Josh Allen said the incident keeps replaying "over and over" in his head.

The NFL has since announced they will not reschedule the Bills-Bengals game ... and could now play the AFC Championship game at a neutral site.

A French Montana music video turned into a terrifying ordeal when gunshots rang out ... and multiple people have reportedly been hit.

French and his team were in Miami Gardens Thursday filming a video outside The Licking restaurant. At some point, at least one person opened fire, injuring up to 10 people ... according to Miami WSVN 7News.

At this point, it's unclear if French was hit ... but a witness on the scene tells us his security got him out of the area safely and without incident.

We've obtained video of French on the scene before the shooting, and everything seemed to going smoothly. However, in additional video -- from after the shots rang out -- you can see the chaos.

We do not know who fired the gun or if it was more than one person.

Miami 7 says at this point, there have been no fatalities reported.

We spoke with French earlier in the day Thursday about the loss of his friend Takeoff, and advice he gave Quavo on dealing with the death.

Multiple officials were clearly gravely concerned for Damar Hamlin in the seconds after he collapsed on Monday night ... with new audio revealing at least two first responders pleaded for "everybody" to rush to the scene.

The concerned chatter was heard on emergency radio traffic airwaves at around 8:55 p.m. ... just after Hamlin fell to the turf at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati following a tackle during the Bills vs. Bengals "Monday Night Football" game.

One unidentified official, who appeared to be on the sidelines as the scene unfolded, could be heard in the audio initially saying, "Go ahead and go over to the cot. I don't like how he went down."

Seconds later, the need for urgency became clear ... as another official said, "We're going to need everybody. All call. All call."

The first commenter then added, "Bring everybody! We need an airway doctor, everybody. Bring the cot with the medics."

As we reported, the Buffalo safety went into cardiac arrest on the field ... but, thanks to the quick actions of those who first tended to him, doctors said Thursday he's made "significant progress" and appears to be "neurologically intact."

Further audio revealed multiple other officials helped make requests over the airwaves to coordinate Hamlin's safe and expeditious ride to the UC Health Medical Center in Cincinnati.

The Damar Hamlin incident has inspired the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans to make sure its community is prepared for all medical emergencies -- the teams just announced it is donating automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to local facilities throughout Louisiana.

The AEDs would be given to 40 New Orleans Recreation Department (NORD) facilities and 27 Jefferson Parish Recreation Department (JPRD) facilities, including 35 parks, three baseball fields and two football facilities ... this according to a statement released on Thursday.

"In light of the horrible events involving Buffalo Bills Safety Damar Hamlin, we felt it was
urgent that we reach out to our local recreational facilities to determine their needs,"
Gayle Benson, owner of the Saints and Pelicans, said.

"NFL games have the most advanced medical staff and equipment on hand, and we believe this needs to be replicated as best as possible on the youth sports level."

As we previously reported, Hamlin went into cardiac arrest after tackling Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins during MNF ... and had to be rushed to a local hospital in an ambulance.

Hamlin remains hospitalized in the ICU at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, but two of the team of doctors assisting him, Dr. William Knight and Dr. Timothy Pritts, said Thursday the 24-year-old is "neurologically intact" and has been communicating with them through writing.

"The Saints reached out today wanting to discuss with us what our urgent medical
needs included relative to our youth facilities," said Larry Barabino Jr., Chief Executive
Officer of NORD. "We shared our plan with them and explained where we needed the
help."

"We are very grateful to Mrs. Benson and the entire organization. Putting 40 AEDs
around NORD facilities will give our families and our children comfort, knowing we can
be ready in case of an emergency."

Mario Brazile, Director of JPRD, said having the AEDs in its facilities will save lives ... adding that tragic events such as Hamlin's medical scare can serve as teachable moments for everyone.

Benson, principal owner of the Saints and Pelicans since 2018, said, "Hearing the news of Damar’s improvement from his doctors today was very heartening."

Josh Allen had to fight back tears as he talked about his Bills teammate, Damar Hamlin, saying the tragic incident continuously haunts him.

"The scene replays over and over in your head," Allen said when speaking to reporters Thursday. "It's hard to describe how I felt and how my teammates felt in that moment. It's something we'll never forget."

"But to know that Damar is doing okay, and I know there's still a lot of things and stuff he has to process and continue to go through to get back to himself."

Allen called the moment 24-year-old Hamlin went into cardiac arrest in front of an entire stadium on national television "a dire circumstance that nobody's expecting," adding you can never really prepare for a situation of that magnitude.

Josh also thanked the training staff, who he credited for springing into action and "working as a single-cell symbiote" to save Damar's life just seconds after he went down.

Allen also encouraged people to stop attacking Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins, who collided with Hamlin on the scary play.

As we reported Thursday, doctors say Hamlin is showing remarkable signs of improvement as he continues to receive medical treatment in the ICU at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

Dr. Knight and Dr. Pritts, two of the team of doctors assisting Hamlin, met with the media virtually and provided more details surrounding the Bills' safety.

The doctors announced Hamlin is "neurologically intact." The docs even said Damar scribbled a question on a piece of paper ... who won the game?

That simple question was music to the ears of the Bills players.

"Again, we heard that news this morning, and there's nothing that could've been told to us to bring our day down," Allen said. "We're extremely happy for him and his family."

Bam Margera says he almost didn't make it out alive during his most recent hospitalization ... after suffering multiple seizures and a nasty blood infection.

The former 'Jackass' star got candid on "Steve-O's Wild Ride!" podcast, sharing just how dire his situation was last month -- in his words, "Basically, I was pronounced dead on December 8th."

He said it all started after he got a gnarly case of Covid -- his body began to shut down and he had 4 seizures, each one lasting about 10 to 20 minutes.

On the fourth seizure he says he bit his tongue so hard he began swallowing his own infected blood ... causing him to get pneumonia and sending him into another seizure.

He recalls waking up in the hospital on the 5th day, not being able to breathe on his own and was clueless he'd been there for so long.

As we've reported, Bam ended up in the ICU at a San Diego hospital last month for a serious case of pneumonia and COVID-19.

Cincinnati Bengals receiver Tee Higgins says he's relieved to hear Damar Hamlin is doing better after his medical emergency on Monday ... revealing he's been in contact with the Bills safety's mom in the days following the game.

Hamlin tackled Higgins right before he collapsed on the field during the Bengals and Bills' Monday Night Football matchup ... and the former Clemson star says when he realized what was happening, he knew it was a serious situation.

"At first, me being a football player, I'm thinking he just flopped," Higgins said after practice on Thursday. "I looked again and seen what happen, I just turned my head and not think about it. I knew it was something crazy. Something tragic. It was hard."

After the game was suspended, Higgins went to the hospital to check on Hamlin ... and he's been in contact with Damar's family in the days following.

"Damar's mom hit me, texted me this morning, and told me about everything and it made me feel even more at home," Higgins said.

"I really appreciate them, just hearing from them and them having my back as well, so yeah. Feels good."

Of course, some misguided people have seemingly blamed Tee (something Bart Scott was accused of doing) for the medical emergency, so to hear Higgins say he's holding up is welcome news.

Prior to practice, Higgins appeared to gather his thoughts and reflect before running out with the rest of his teammates.

Hamlin is making serious improvements as he remains under constant care in a Cincinnati hospital ... and was even able to communicate in writing with nurses Wednesday night -- asking who won Monday's game.

Damar Hamlin's making incredible strides as he fights for his life in a Cincinnati hospital ... and nothing proves the point more than a question the Bills safety asked his nurse last night -- who won the game?

Hamlin's physicians, Dr. Knight and Dr. Pritts, from UC Health Medical Center in Cincinnati, virtually met with the media on Thursday and fielded questions about the health status of their famous patient.

The doctors revealed 24-year-old Hamlin was conscious Wednesday evening, and while he wasn't able to talk (he's still hooked up to a breathing machine), Damar, using pen, paper, and a clipboard, asked who won the Bills vs. Bengals game.

"You won. You won at the game of life," his healthcare team told Damar.

Of course, Hamlin wasn't aware the game was postponed.

As far as his current condition, the doctors say Hamlin's made "significant progress," saying they believe he's "neurologically intact."

There was fear Damar could've sustained a serious brain injury from lack of oxygen.

Knight and Pritts were also asked about Hamlin's long-term prognosis.

Joe Buck has been calling games for decades, but his booth partner Troy Aikman believes his handling of Damar Hamlin's medical emergency was the "finest moment" of his career ... saying the broadcasting legend managed the situation better than anyone else could have.

Buck and Aikman were calling the Bengals and Bills' "Monday Night Football" matchup when Hamlin collapsed on the field ... and the Hall of Fame quarterback says the entire crew -- including Disney head Bob Iger -- were working nonstop to figure out how to continue the broadcast as medical experts tended to the Bills safety.

"There was a lot of moving parts, that's for sure, as you can imagine," Aikman said on 'Dunham and Miller' on the Ticket in Dallas-Fort Worth. "It became a sports broadcast that turned into a news broadcast."

Aikman raves about how Buck maintained his poise ... saying despite the difficult task, he thrived in the moment.

"As you guys know, I've worked with him for 21 years and I've been with him in some of the greatest moments in sports," Aikman said.

"And I've seen him at his best and he's unbelievable, but I think this was his finest moment. I think he handled everything better than anyone could have -- any broadcaster. I don't care if it was sports, or news or whatever it might be."

Aikman added ... "I thought he was really good at what he was doing and broadcasting to America what was taking place and doing it in a way that he wasn't speculating or sensationalizing in any way. Not an easy thing to do."

"He and I were on the air for over an hour before we ever really did anything with it. So, there was a lot of time that had to be filled with a story that we were not getting any information on."