Concord, North Carolina — Tyler Reddick raced Sunday with his championship chances on the line, and his young son was diagnosed with a tumor in his chest that is damaging his heart.
Tyler and Alexa Reddick’s second son, Rookie Reddick, was born in May, and Alexa disclosed this week that he has been battling with major health difficulties. The couple issued an update ahead of Sunday’s race at The Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where Reddick will start from the pole and must win to remain in contention for the Cup Series championship.
Following Rookie’s pole-winning run, Alexa Reddick issued a social media update on his condition, stating that he has a “tumor that’s ‘choking’ the renal vein and renal artery.” Telling the heart, “I’m not getting enough blood…” “Pump harder.
She claims it has created an enlarged heart, and the 4-month-old will require a kidney removed because physicians have determined it is no longer functional.
“He’ll have open surgery to remove his right kidney. “We just don’t know when,” she wrote. “Waiting is fine right now to give his heart a break while he is on blood pressure medicine. They expect his heart to completely recover because he was an innocent bystander. We have answers, but there is still a long road ahead of us to get our little Cookie home.”
She went on to say that her baby enjoyed blowing bubbles, playing, and “interacting with every nurse & doctor that comes in his room.”
Reddick had kept his son’s health issue hidden until his wife went public before last week’s Kansas Speedway race, revealing that Rookie was suffering from heart failure at Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte.
Reddick finally addressed Rookie’s health in Charlotte.
“Healthier may not be the proper term, but I’ve never seen him happier. His color looks good. He has acquired weight. A lot of things are doing nicely,” Reddick explained. “That being said, some of the hardest moments are undoubtedly ahead. We’re not in the clear. There are some things we need to get done first.
“So, on one hand, I’m really happy and it makes me feel great that he’s doing much better right now, but certainly we have some hurdles we have to get through first before we’re even thinking about leaving the hospital or thinking about what comes next.”
Reddick, who advanced to the championship-deciding finale, starts Sunday’s race below the cutline of drivers who will be reduced from 12 to eight after the race. The bottom four — Reddick, his 23XI Racing teammate Bubba Wallace, Ross Chastain, and Austin Cindric — will most likely need a victory on Sunday to avoid elimination.
“For me, this weekend where we’re at in points, it just is what it is,” Reddick stated in response. “I will go out there and give it my all while I am here. For me, this week, the elimination, and everything else in the racing world are taking a second seat, as they should.”
Denny Hamlin, co-owner of Reddick’s car, stated that 23XI Racing has been helpful and involved in ensuring Rooke’s best care.
“We’ve tried to do everything we could as a company to tap into all the resources that we possibly can, to get him second, third opinions, all the things, get him in contact with specialists,” he said. “We don’t feel relieved, but it is reassuring that they now have a better understanding of the route forward than they did before.
“I couldn’t image being in their positions. He has enough to think about. I’m sure he’s breathing a sigh of relief that he’s still going there to do his job at a high level, given everything else going on off the track.”
Reddick will start alongside Shane van Gisbergen, who has won four road and street races this season. The New Zealander is the overwhelming favorite, and any driver seeking to escape playoff elimination must defeat van Gisbergen.
Meanwhile, Reddic expressed gratitude for the support he and his family had received, as well as the emotional impact this had on his family.
“Just countless individuals have helped out,” Reddick said. “Countless people have contacted out and offered assistance, whatever that may be. It’s been a great eye-opener. My wife and I both agree that this is the most difficult experience we’ve ever had. Certainly being away (last week) was not ideal.
“That was a decision she and I reached while I was in Kansas. He was headed in the correct direction. Yes, as I previously stated, there are significant issues that must be addressed, but he was stable and headed in the correct path during the weekend. It was difficult to stay and race (at Kansas), but we were on the same page about it. I just wanted to get off that plane on Sunday night and go back to the hospital.
