Amid the pressure of competition, Tyler Reddick faced an even greater challenge off the track. His wife recently revealed that their newborn son was diagnosed with a tumor in his chest, affecting his heart. Rookie, the second child of Tyler and Alexa Reddick, was born in May. Alexa shared details about the health complications her son has faced. Before the race at The Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where Tyler started from the pole position, the pair provided an update. He needed the win to stay in contention for the Cup Series title. Shane van Gisbergen took the victory, eliminating Reddick from the playoffs. Reddick finished in tenth position. Alexa Reddick posted on social media about her Rookie condition, explaining that she has “a tumor that is ‘choking’ the renal vein and artery. It tells the heart ‘Hey, I’m not getting enough blood… pump harder'”. This has caused an enlargement of the heart, and the 4-month-old baby will need to have a kidney removed, as the doctors determined that it no longer works.
Alexa added that her son was happy, spending time playing with bubbles, and interacting with the medical staff. Tyler Reddick had kept his son’s health situation private until his wife made it public before the race at Kansas Speedway. Reddick addressed Rookie’s health in Charlotte.“He will undergo open surgery to remove his right kidney. We are not sure when,” she wrote. “Waiting is fine right now to give his heart a break while he is on blood pressure medication. They hope his heart will fully recover because it was just an innocent bystander. We have answers, but a journey ahead to bring our little Cookie home.”
Alexa Reddick
“Healthier probably isn’t the right word, but I’ve never seen him happier. His color looks good. He’s gained weight. A lot of things are going well,” Reddick said. “That said, some of the toughest moments are definitely ahead. We’re definitely not out of the woods. There are some things we have to get through first.”
Tyler ReddickReddick, who reached the final of last year’s championship, started the race below the drivers’ cut line. The group was reduced from 12 to eight after the race. The last four: Reddick, his 23XI Racing teammate, Bubba Wallace, Ross Chastain, and Austin Cindric, were eliminated. “For me, this weekend, where we’re at, is what it is,” Reddick said. “I’m going to go out and give it my best while I’m here. For me, this week, the elimination, everything that’s going on in the racing world is taking a back seat, as it should.” Denny Hamlin, co-owner of Reddick’s car, stated that 23XI Racing has provided support and has participated in obtaining the best attention for Rookie. Reddick started alongside van Gisbergen, who won for the fifth consecutive time on a road or street circuit. The New Zealander was the big favorite, and any driver hoping to avoid elimination from the playoffs needed to beat van Gisbergen. Reddick, for his part, thanked for the support received and reflected on the emotional impact on his family. “Countless people have helped,” Reddick said. “Countless people have reached out, provided support, whatever. It’s been really eye-opening. I agree with my wife, this is the hardest thing I’ve had to go through. … Certainly, being out [last week] wasn’t ideal.” “That was a decision my wife and I came to when I was in Kansas. It was going in the right direction. Yes, as I said, great things ahead that we have to fix, but during that weekend, it was stable and going in the right direction. It was difficult to stay and run [in Kansas], but we agreed. I really wanted to get off that plane on Sunday night and go back to the hospital.”
