(CNN)
Jordon Rooney, a friend and marketing rep of Damar Hamlin, said he was confident Hamlin would bounce back after collapsing on the field from cardiac arrest during a game on Monday.
“He’s a fighter all the time. I mean, if there’s anyone you know I trust to make something out of anything, it’s him. He’s someone who always finds a way to get to the top,” Rooney told CNN’s Adrienne Broaddus Tuesday.
“There’s a lot, first as his friend – just making sure he’s okay, and then as someone who supports the family, wants to protect them and own the story around Damar – I think it’s important that the People know who Damar is,” Rooney said.
In his last conversation with Hamlin, Rooney said they discussed his charitable contributions to the community.
“The last time we spoke it was about his toy ride. We had two toy rides – when we talked about the success, he was excited,” Rooney said. He also called Hamlin “strategic” and “likable”.
Rooney said while he understands fans’ desire to learn more about Hamlin’s status, he asks for patience.
“Be patient now,” Rooney said. “This is a person who has a family and … his welfare is the most important thing.”
Rooney said he is not in an official capacity to speak about Hamlin’s current health condition.
“To be honest, I can’t talk about the medical stuff – like I’m just not well versed enough to give an expert opinion on that,” Rooney said.
Despite the uncertainty about Hamlin’s condition, Rooney said he’s already looking forward to seeing Hamlin again.
“I’m glad he’s recovering from that because Damar is someone who takes advantage of things like that, adversity, and makes sure to inspire a lot of other people along the way,” he said.
In a previous interview, Rooney said he met Hamlin when the player was interned for him and the two have been good friends ever since.
“I actually know Damar because he is a Division 1 soccer player and he approached me about becoming an intern for me. It’s something quite unique and the reason for that is because he was always interested in being an entrepreneur and building his own brand,” Rooney told ABC’s Robin Roberts on Good Morning America. “He did an internship for me and then we just got super, super close, so now we’re partners in a deal. We work together on a lot of things and we’re really good friends.”
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