Amidst the pressure of competition, Tyler Reddick faced an even greater challenge off the track. His participation in Sunday’s race was overshadowed by the revelation that his newborn son, Rookie, was diagnosed with a chest tumor affecting his heart.
The little one, born in May, is dealing with serious health complications, according to his mother, Alexa Reddick. The couple shared details about the situation before the race at The Roval in Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Although Reddick started from the pole position, Shane van Gisbergen’s victory eliminated him from contention for the Cup Series title. Reddick finished in tenth position.
The tumor is ‘choking’ the renal vein and artery. It tells the heart ‘Hey, I’m not getting enough blood… pump harder’.
The situation has caused the baby’s heart to enlarge, and the removal of a kidney will be required because the doctors determined that it is no longer functioning correctly. He will undergo surgery to remove the right kidney.
Alexa also commented that her son is happy spending time playing and interacting with the medical staff.
Before the race in Kansas, Alexa had revealed that Rookie was at Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte, showing signs of heart failure.
Reddick shared that, although the situation is difficult, his son has shown improvement.
The driver, who reached the championship final last year, was below the cut line in Sunday’s race. The competition reduced the group from 12 to eight drivers, eliminating Reddick, his teammate Bubba Wallace, Ross Chastain and Austin Cindric.
Reddick expressed that, given the situation, the race takes a backseat. Denny Hamlin, co-owner of Reddick’s car, highlighted the support of 23XI Racing to ensure the best care for Rookie.
Hamlin stated that the team has provided all possible support to obtain second opinions and contact specialists.
Reddick thanked for the support received and reflected on the emotional impact on his family. He mentioned that he has received support from many people, which has been revealing.
Reddick also commented that he agreed with his wife that he should compete, and that he wanted to return to the hospital as soon as possible.
