Let's go back to Jan. 2, the night Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Nobody knew how this was going to end, as the sports world sat on pins and needles for the hope of good news on his condition.

Fast forward to Wednesday, and not only is Damar Hamlin progressing in his recovery, he's thriving. The progress is going so well, he made his first public-speaking appearance during a taping of a popular show on FOX.

Per TMZ Sports: “Damar Hamlin was a special guest at a taping for “The Masked Singer” Tuesday night … marking the Buffalo Bills safety's first public speaking appearance since his medical emergency last month. TMZ Sports has obtained pictures from the set of the taping … showing the 24-year-old holding a football and smiling on stage alongside host Nick Cannon, with his name in big red letters on the screen behind him.”

It can't be stressed enough how remarkable it is to see Hamlin out and about. When he was getting CPR on the football field in Cincinnati a month ago, we didn't know if he would even live to tell about it. Since then, he made an appearance at the Bills' divisional playoff game against the Bengals Jan. 22, partnered up with the American Heart Association to start a CPR challenge, and is now making showing up on “The Masked Singer.”

The show starts it's ninth season Feb. 15, and whenever the episode with Hamlin on it airs, there's sure to be a few tears flowing when he speaks.