Reddick: NASCAR driver’s son battles tumor; surgery required

Tyler Reddick faces personal challenges while competing

The driver Tyler Reddick competed on Sunday with championship hopes on the line, after it was revealed that his newborn son was diagnosed with a chest tumor affecting his heart. Rookie, the second child of Tyler and Alexa Reddick, was born in May. Alexa revealed last week that the baby has been dealing with serious health complications. The couple shared an update before the race at The Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Shane van Gisbergen won the race, eliminating Reddick from the playoffs. Reddick finished in tenth position. Alexa Reddick posted on social media about her Rookie condition, stating that she has a “tumor that is ‘strangling’ 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.

“He will undergo open surgery to remove his right kidney. We are not sure when,” Alexa wrote. “Waiting is okay right now to give his heart a break while he is on blood pressure medication. They are hoping 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

He added that his son was happy spending time playing with bubbles, playing and “interacting with every nurse and doctor who enters his room”. Tyler Reddick had kept his son’s health situation private until his wife made the situation public before last week’s race at Kansas Speedway, where she revealed that Rookie was at Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte and was showing signs of heart failure. Reddick talked about Rookie’s health in Charlotte.

“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. “All that being 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 Reddick

Reddick, who reached the final of last year’s championship, entered Sunday’s race below the cut line for the drivers. The field 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 are at points, is what it is”, Reddick said. “I’m going to go out and give it my best while I’m here, certainly. For me, this week, the elimination, everything that’s going on in the racing world is taking a backseat, as it should”.

Tyler Reddick

Denny Hamlin, co-owner of Reddick’s car, said that 23XI Racing has provided support and has been involved in giving Rookie the best care.

“We’ve tried to do everything we can as a company to leverage every resource we can, to get second and third opinions, all those things, put him in touch with specialists,” Hamlin said. “We feel, not a relief, but it’s a small relief that they now understand what the path forward is, instead of not knowing.”

Denny Hamlin

Reddick, for his part, thanked for the support that he and his family have received and reflected on the emotional impact that this has had 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.”

Tyler Reddick

“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, there are big things ahead that we have to solve, 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.”