Denny Hamlin is enduring an indescribable loss. The NASCAR driver's father, Dennis Hamlin, passed away after sustaining injuries in a devastating house fire on December 28th. He was 75 years old. Meanwhile, Denny's mother, Mary Lou Hamlin, 69, remains in critical condition at the hospital.
At 6:27 local time, first responders arrived at the Hamlin family's home in Gaston County, North Carolina, after a fire was reported. According to NASCAR, two people managed to escape the blaze but suffered life-threatening injuries and were rushed to a nearby hospital. The following day, the Gaston County Office of Emergency Management and Fire Services confirmed in a news release that Dennis had passed away. Meanwhile, Mary Lou was transferred to a hospital in Winston-Salem, about 80 miles north of Charlotte.
The fire, which took nearly two hours to extinguish due to a lack of water in the area, destroyed the family's entire four-bedroom house, as reported by WCNC, citing the Lucia-Riverbend Fire Department. The cause of the blaze has not yet been determined, and an investigation is ongoing.
Throughout his storied career, Denny, 45, has credited his dad's sacrifices for his success. He shared that Dennis had taken out multiple home mortgages and maxed out credit cards to support his son's racing dreams. "He's the one who got me into racing and took me to a racetrack when I was five," an emotional Hamlin said in September after his 60th career victory, according to Associated Press. "He made all the financial sacrifices to keep me going, sold everything we had, and we almost lost our house a couple of times just to try to keep it going."
"He always tells me I'm the best, no matter if I win or not," the proud father of three continued. "He's a big hype guy and I sit in his garage and talk with him. He's got all my old memorabilia and it's just good to reminisce. He's a reminiscing guy and right now I am just cherishing those hours that I have with them each week."
Ahead of the November Cup Series Championship race, Denny shared that his father was battling a serious illness and he was making every moment count for Dennis. "I know for a fact this is my last chance for my dad to see it," he said. "I don't want him to go without ever getting to see the moment."
