NASCAR driver Ryan Newman surprised and delighted fans on Wednesday afternoon when he was released from Halifax Medical Center. The 42-year-old had been hospitalized since Monday night following his wreck during the Daytona 500.
Prior to the news of his release, there were many fans anxiously awaiting every single update about his ongoing recovery. Each time Roush Fenway revealed the slightest improvement, these users on social media would rejoice. Their excitement reached a fever pitch on Wednesday afternoon when Newman’s estranged wife, Krissie, posted a video of him leaving the hospital.
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This video showed Newman walking hand-in-hand with his two daughters as they left the hospital. He wasn’t wearing shoes and appeared to be in some pain, but the veteran driver was upright and walking under his own power.
The fans on Twitter were delighted to see this video and reacted in a number of ways. Some called for the couple to reconcile and remain together while others simply expressed gratitude for the safety advancements in NASCAR. A vocal majority just tweeted about how they were shedding tears of joy.
Not even a limp!!!
— Punk Rock Paul Harvey (@EdPetyak) February 19, 2020
NASCAR fans couldn’t stop watching Krissie’s video on Wednesday as they celebrated Newman’s release from the hospital. The mere fact that he was upright was staggering, let alone that he was walking under his own power.
One of the factors that truly made the fans happy is that Newman didn’t appear to be struggling while walking. He didn’t have a noticeable limp or any other issues.
Let’s go home girls…Rocketman don’t need shoes.
— jp stein (@jpstein6) February 19, 2020
When Newman walked out of the hospital, every person who watched the video rejoiced at his recovery. Others, however, focused on one small detail. They were entertained by him not wearing shoes as he walked away.
“Socks are comfortable and he’s earned it. Fantastic news. Cheers to Ryan!” one fan wrote on Twitter. If Newman could survive a massive wreck, he could opt to wear only socks.
God is good!!!! Now it’s @NASCAR turn….LISTEN TO @RyanJNewman AND FIX THESE CARS!!!!!! This is auto racing, not flying!!!
— Nathaniel Stalnaker (@Flannel83) February 19, 2020
Newman is recovering from his injuries and is no longer being treated at Halifax Medical Center. The fans are overjoyed about this fact and are now turning their attention to something else. They think it’s time for NASCAR to listen to Newman’s previous comments.
Back in 2013, Newman spoke out about the racing organization and said that they couldn’t figure out a way to keep the cars on the track. The fans agree with these comments after witnessing Newman’s car flip during Monday’s race, and they want NASCAR to make some changes.
God is great!
— Derdevl08 (@Pg08DD) February 19, 2020
So much sad news in our world..seeing those kids n dad is a nuclear charge in everyone’s happy battery.
There are many individuals that have Twitter accounts but tend to avoid the social media platform due to the inherent negativity. They are so accustomed to seeing rage, terrible comments, and depressing news that avoiding Twitter seems like a much better option in 2020. However, the situation changed on Wednesday with Krissie’s video.
As some Twitter users commented in response to the post, the sight of Newman with his daughters was just phenomenal. They immediately became happy and stopped thinking about the negativity in the world.
We can stop refreshing every two minutes now.
— Melissa Gooch (@MelissaGooch2) February 19, 2020
Following the news of Newman’s crash during the Daytona 500, the fans took to Twitter and began constantly hitting refresh on several accounts in hope of finding the latest update. This led to them stumbling upon several positive reports of Newman’s health, as well as the video of him leaving the hospital.
With Krissie posting the heartwarming video on Wednesday, it now meant that the fans could stop refreshing Twitter. They could focus on other pursuits while Newman continued to recover.
Hoping this horrible accident will lead to a reconciliation between you two. The Good Lord works in mysterious ways💗
— Lori Holland (@ugateacher) February 19, 2020
Days prior to the Daytona 500, Krissie posted a statement on Twitter that revealed she and Newman would be separating. They planned on continuing to raise their daughters together, but they would not be a married couple. This news was met with immediate sadness from the fans.
Once Newman left the hospital on Wednesday, several fans responded by making pleas for the couple to remain together. They wanted to see Krissie and Newman stay married instead of separating.
Ryan glad to see you’re okay and walking but honestly God sent a message to you to keep you here I honestly would retire and go be with your family ! I know it’s hard to step away but I think it’s the nest decsion and I bet most fans agree
— BEJAN (@JEFFGORDON5) February 19, 2020
Now that Newman is out of the hospital, what will he do now? There are some fans that want him to continue racing and secure even more victories in NASCAR. Although this isn’t a universal opinion. There are many others that want him to refocus his priorities.
There were several fans posting on social media about how Newman needs to retire at this point. He’s 42 years old and has proven to be a winner throughout his career. The fans feel like he has nothing left to prove and should just retire.
Photo Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR
