First, Damir Hamlin came out on the set of the “Masked Singer” on Fox.
Then, the now 8-year-old sat talking to Elmo during the show’s “Sesame Street” episode airing Wednesday night at 8 pm ET. Elmo asked Hamlin his name and who he was there with.
“My brother,” Hamlin responded in a preview of Wednesday night’s show, with the surprise guest then revealed as Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin.
The brothers make an appearance on the episode taped in late January, originally Hamlin’s first public appearance since suffering cardiac arrest during the Bills’ regular-season game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 2.
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,” Jeong said. “But more importantly, I’m just so glad you’re healthy. The whole world loves you.”
Host Nick Cannon asked Hamlin why he was appearing on the show.
“Mainly because of my brother,” Hamlin said. “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.”
The elder Hamlin has talked about how close he is with his family, including his parents, Mario and Nina. He has been dedicated to giving back to his community and kids in his hometown of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, just outside of Pittsburgh.