Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin looks to be staging his comeback from his January cardiac arrest on the football field with an appearance on Wednesday’s broadcast of Fox’s The Masked Singer.
Hamlin, 24, nearly died on Jan. 2 when he collapsed during a game between his Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals. But quick-thinking support staff kept him alive long enough to get to a Cincinnati hospital. And even at that, doctors say that he had to be resuscitated twice.
If his appearance on the TV show is any indication, Hamlin was put quickly on the road to recovery since the episode was filmed late in Jan. The player’s little brother, seven-year-old Damir, strolled out onstage as the Sesame Street character Elmo began talking to him, asking who he came to the show with. Damir then said he came with his brother, the NFL star.
The crowd erupted in applause when Damar Hamlin stepped out on stage, holding a football and wearing his Chasing Millions gear. He waved to the crowd and made his now-signature heart gesture with his hands. “Masked” judge Ken Jeong was visibly emotional and thanked the Bills’ safety.
“I’m just so glad you’re here,” judge Ken Jeong said. “But more importantly, I’m just so glad you’re healthy. The whole world loves you.”
Host Nick Cannon then asked Hamlin why he came on the show.
“Mainly because of my brother,” Hamlin replied. “That’s my world, I put family first, and, you know, he loves ‘Sesame Street’ more than most things, so we had to make it tonight.”
Damar also delivered a clue to the identity of the masked singer before leaving the stage with his little brother.
Hamlin briefly brought the country together after he collapsed on the football field and is working on regaining his physical conditioning for an eventual return to the NFL.
The player still holds the goodwill of America, despite a small bump in the road when he wore a Jesus-themed jacket during the Super Bowl that many found disrespectful to Christianity.
Hamlin has credited his close-knit family and faith in God for his quick recovery.
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